--- title: Hot Tubs: Are Hot Tubs Dangerous? description: You’ve heard the rumors. The reality is probably worse. canonical: https://time.com/3650083/hot-tubs-dangerous/ author: Markham Heid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-31T13:00:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:49:45.150Z article:section: Health og:title: You Asked: Are Hot Tubs Dangerous? og:description: You’ve heard the rumors. The reality is probably worse. og:url: https://time.com/3650083/hot-tubs-dangerous/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt74370a02b820d643/698777b32dce0191bd9dcb7e/you-asked-hot-tub.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: you-asked-hot-tub og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: You Asked: Are Hot Tubs Dangerous? twitter:description: You’ve heard the rumors. The reality is probably worse. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt74370a02b820d643/698777b32dce0191bd9dcb7e/you-asked-hot-tub.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # You Asked: Are Hot Tubs Dangerous? by [Markham Heid](https://time.com/author/markham-heid/) ## Markham Heid Markham Heid is a contributor at TIME. He is the author of The Habit Trap, due out in early 2027. Dec 31, 2014 1:00 PM UTC  Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME by [Markham Heid](https://time.com/author/markham-heid/) ## Markham Heid Markham Heid is a contributor at TIME. He is the author of The Habit Trap, due out in early 2027. Dec 31, 2014 1:00 PM UTC Most men know that submerging their nether-parts in hot water can mean [bad news for baby-making](http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2007/03/5541/hot-tubs-hurt-fertility-ucsf-study-shows). And of course, the question of a hot tub’s water-to-urine ratio is a constant concern. But usual suspects aside, some very scary health issues have been linked to hot tub use. “We call it ‘hot tub lung,’” says Dr. Cecile Rose, an environmental and respiratory health expert at National Jewish Health, a medical center in Denver. Rose is describing a type of lung inflammation that she and other researchers have linked to hot tubs. A specific kind of bacteria found in public water systems—called _Nontuberculous mycobacteria_—ends up in the mist produced when you switch on a tub’s bubbles. “When you turn on the jets, this bacteria becomes aerosolized, and you inhale it,” Rose explains. Once it reaches your lungs, the bacteria can cause symptoms like fever andshortness of breath. If you continue to use your tub, the inflammation persists and worsens, and can cause lasting fatigue, weight loss and other more serious side effects. “A lot of doctors don’t ask if a person with these symptoms has been using a hot tub, and people become very sick,” Rose says. “If you keep using your tub, taking antibiotics or steroids won’t do any good.” Even if you never use the bubble jets, you may still be at risk for so-called hot tub lung. “The jets are a very efficient delivery system, but that doesn’t mean turning them off is safe,” Rose adds. And no, you can’t just crank up your water supply’s chlorine and bromine disinfectant levels. Too much of _those_ can lead to respiratory issues too, Rose adds. More bad news: Mycobacteria aren’t your only unwelcome bathing buddies. Another type of bacteria called _Pseudomonas_ can cause eye, ear and skin irritations, Rose says. She also mentions a germ called _Legionella_ that can lead to Legionnaire’s disease—a severe form of pneumonia. Like mycobacteria, Legionella gets into your system through mist or steam inhalation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ### You Asked: Your Top 10 Health Questions Answered  You Asked: Are Cleanses Healthy? Potions that claim to clear your body of toxins might sound alluring, but do they deliver? Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Eating Dessert Really That Bad For Me? Bad news for sweet-eaters—except if you end your meals with this kind of treat. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: What’s the Best Way to Whiten My Teeth? Yes, teeth whitening actually works—but here's why you have to dish out major bucks to see results. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Meditation Really Worth It? 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If you listen hard enough, you'll hear all kinds of health stories from #2. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME “People with compromised immune systems—older adults, those with diabetes or on chemotherapy drugs—are most at risk, and the mortality rates associated with Legionnaire’s are actually quite high,” Rose explains. That’s not all. A study in the _Journal of the American Medical Association_ found the virus that leads to genital herpes can survive for hours on the plastic seats you’ll find in some hot tubs. Blame the hot water temperature for most of these health hazards. Just as you enjoy a toasty soak, bacteria and germs thrive in the cozy comforts of warm water, Rose says. A report on Legionella from the CDC says higher water temperatures make it more difficult to maintain the proper disinfectant levels required to kill off the microscopic creepy crawlies that can make you ill. That doesn’t mean all hot tubs are sickness-spreading cesspools. If you own your own tub, and you’re rigorous about cleaning it frequently, changing the water and checking its disinfectant levels, you can probably breathe easy. (Literally.) But when it comes to public pools, you might be taking a risk every time you slide down into those invitingly frothy bubbles. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3650083/hot-tubs-dangerous/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3650083/hot-tubs-dangerous/"},"headline":"You Asked: Are Hot Tubs Dangerous?","datePublished":"2014-12-31T13:00:25.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:49:45.150Z","description":"You’ve heard the rumors. 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