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Asthma-friendly products: Do they help reduce symptoms?
Asthma-friendly products are becoming more popular. Find out if these products could reduce your asthma symptoms.
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you're like most people with asthma, your asthma symptoms can be triggered by things in your home. Purchasing "asthma-friendly" products — products that claim to reduce asthma triggers — may seem like a good step, but you may be wondering if they're worth it. While there's no sure way to tell how much a particular product will reduce your asthma triggers, here are some tips to keep in mind when evaluating asthma-friendly products.
Carefully evaluate claims
There are many products on the market which claim to benefit people with asthma, ranging from plush toys to vacuum cleaners. While some may help with your symptoms, these so-called asthma-friendly products can be costly — and most haven't been medically tested. When considering an "asthma-friendly" purchase, don't just rely on claims from the manufacturer. Look for objective evaluations and make your own judgment. Some places that may have useful information include:
- Online consumer-product reviews or discussions
- Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization that evaluates and rates products and services
- Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, an industry trade organization that tests and rates room air conditioners, dehumidifiers and room air cleaners
Asthma-friendly certified products
Created in 2006, the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program conducts tests to determine which products are most suitable for people with asthma. The program is run by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a nonprofit patient advocacy group. After testing, the program endorses the products they feel work best. Products evaluated for certification include:
- Vacuum cleaners
- Air-cleaning devices
- Washing machines
- Bedding and mattresses
- Toys
- Flooring
- Paint
Certification seems like a good idea, but there's some controversy about the program because there aren't any outside studies that show that using an asthma-friendly certified product is any better than using a product that hasn't been certified. While Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification endorsement lets you know a product has been tested, it isn't a guarantee that it's any better than a product that isn't certified.
Choose products that target your triggers
Using a product that claims to reduce allergens will only help you if it reduces your particular triggers. Asthma is triggered by different things in different people, so a product that helps one person may not be any use for someone else with asthma. For example, if dust mites trigger your symptoms, you may benefit from a mattress cover that helps contain or eliminate them. But buying paint that releases lower amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might not be as important for you. It all depends on what triggers your asthma. Certain products, such as vacuum cleaners or air cleaners, can reduce multiple asthma triggers.
Common household asthma triggers include:
- Dust mites, which are common in carpet, upholstery and mattresses
- Dander from pets such as cats
- Cockroaches
- Indoor molds
- VOCs, released by paints, carpet and other household products
(1 of 2)
- Where to find asthma & allergy friendly products. Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program. http://www.asthmaandallergyfriendly.com. Accessed Oct. 8, 2008.
- Li JT (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester Minn. Nov. 6, 2007.
- Platts-Mills TA. Indoor allergen avoidance in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 8, 2008.
- Dales R, et al. Residential exposure to volatile organic compounds and asthma. Journal of Asthma. 2004;41(3):259
- Tips to remember: Indoor allergens. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/indoorallergens.stm. Accessed Oct. 8, 2008.
