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Health

31st Jul 2015

Turns Out Your Gym Bag Could Be Bad For Your Health

Pass the hand sanitizer please!

Rebecca McKnight

You might well be healthy because you go to the gym but it seems something you use for it could be making you ill.

New research has revealed that gym bags are a breeding ground for germs and can contain high levels of bacteria.

A study, conducted by Initial Washroom Hygiene, found that two thirds of gym bags are swarming with “significant” bacteria contamination.

Over a third of the bags apparently contained coliform bacteria which can lead to diarrhoea, stomach cramps, pneumonia and vomiting.

It seems leather bags are the worst and women’s gym bags tend to contain more bacteria than men’s.

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Speaking about the findings, Dr Peter Barratt said: “Gym bags are portable as we take them with us into our homes, places of work, our cars and on public transport.

“If they become contaminated, their potential for accumulating and transferring virus and bacteria particles is significant.”

Hat-Tip: Express