Asthma-friendly products: Do they help reduce symptoms?

Asthma-friendly products: Find out which ones may help keep symptoms at bay.

If you're like most people with asthma, your asthma symptoms can be triggered by things in your home. And your doctor probably recommended you take steps to control allergens in your environment. Purchasing "asthma-friendly" products — products that claim to help reduce asthma triggers — may seem like a good step, but you may be wondering if they're worth it.

Ranging from plush toys to vacuum cleaners, asthma-friendly products can be costly. Many products that claim to reduce asthma triggers haven't been proved to work, so determining which ones are best can be a challenge. 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.

Know your triggers
Even if a product claims to reduce allergens, it will only help you if it helps eliminate the particular trigger that affects you. 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. Common household 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

Some products touted as asthma friendly, such as vacuum cleaners or air cleaners, reduce multiple asthma triggers. And, if you're like most people with asthma, you're affected by multiple triggers.

Be skeptical: Carefully evaluate claims

There are many products on the market which claim to benefit people with asthma — but most haven't been medically reviewed or tested. 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-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
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 has proven health benefits. Many products that reduce environmental allergens haven't been evaluated by the program — and untested products may work as well or better than products that have been certified. While Asthma-Friendly Certification endorsement lets you know a product has been tested, it isn't a guarantee that a product will reduce your asthma symptoms.

Maintenance is important too

Keeping products such as upholstery, carpets and bedding clean and free of allergens is just as important as which products you choose. Certain steps — such as washing bedding frequently in hot water or placing plush toys in the freezer periodically — can help reduce allergens and keep products asthma friendly. Carefully follow instructions on maintenance and use of products such as vacuum cleaners and air filters — and learn what other steps help reduce household allergens.

Asthma-friendly products: Just part of the solution

Unfortunately, eliminating asthma and allergy triggers isn't as easy as buying an air filter or a mattress cover, although both these measures can help. You'll never completely get rid of all allergens, especially dust mites. Choosing products most likely to reduce allergens can help — but that's just one part of reducing household allergens. Here are the main ways you can help reduce your exposure:

Identify your specific asthma or allergy triggers so that you can target them — you may need allergy testing to be sure what they are
Try to eliminate potential allergen sources — such as pets, rodents, cockroaches or cigarette smoke
Minimize places allergens can accumulate — such as carpeting
Use an air filter to control allergens that remain airborne, such as pet dander

Have allergies but not asthma? This advice may still apply

As with asthma, household allergens may trigger itchy, watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing or other upper respiratory symptoms in people who have allergies. But unlike asthma, these reactions are limited to upper respiratory signs and symptoms that don't involve the airways. However, because the same environmental allergens that trigger asthma can trigger allergies, products that claim to be asthma friendly may also be helpful for people with allergies. As with asthma, the key to deciding whether a product may help is to evaluate whether it's likely to reduce your exposure to the triggers that affect you.

Weigh the benefits before you spend your money

Controlling allergens in your home environment can help reduce asthma and allergies, but it takes some work to determine which products are likely to help you most. When considering asthma-friendly products, weigh the potential benefits with the cost in light of your specific triggers and environment. Don't rely on manufacturer claims. Get advice from your doctor, and do research on your own to find out which products are worth a try — and which ones aren't.