Healthy Living: Gym Germs

Working out at the gym is great for your health, but it's also an easy place to pick up germs.

Some researchers are looking at what we wear, designing fabrics that could help keep us healthy and even kill bacteria.

Some studies show about one third to one half of gym surfaces have some sort of contamination.

"People are coughing, sneezing, there might be germs on their hands. They're using these machines, and there is the potential for spread," said Dr. Russ Greenfield, medical director for PurThread Technologies.

PurThread Technologies designs fabric that helps prevent the spread of bacteria, using silver in the material.

"There are different projects where its sprayed on or applies, but the newest kind is embedded into the fiber that can actually help prevent the spread of microbes by killing them on the spot," said Russ.

That's handy in a shirt for the gym, and not just to protect the person wearing it.

When you work out and you sweat, clothes start to smell really bad. One interesting effect of the new material is that it kills the bacteria that causes the odor.

You don't need a new wardrobe to fight germs at the gym. Always wipe down the machines.

We're going to trust our friends working out are doing the same, but we need to do that too, so after every use of a machine, wipe it down.

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Healthy Living: Gym Germs