Can Sharks Really Smell Your Period Blood?

By Annie Tomlin, Women's Health

There are a whole lot of fishy "facts" out there about the beach. While the ocean can be an oasis for the summer, the rules of beach safety are often blurry at best (we've all heard rumors that sharks can sniff out period blood). That's why we broke down the common myths you've definitely heard. Let's sort through the flotsam, shall we?
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Alyssa Zolna

Truth: "People used to think that when you ate, all your blood rushed to your digestive system and your extremities wouldn't get enough blood flow for swimming, which could result in cramps," says Marie Altimari, M.D., a family medicine physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. "But our bodies have enough blood to digest and exercise as well." (Kick-start your new, healthy routine with Women's Health's 12-Week Total-Body Transformation!)

Alyssa Zolna

Truth: Even Olympic-level athletes can get trapped by the strong, narrow currents that flow outward from sand banks near some shores. Tom Gill, public information officer for the United States Lifeguarding Association, says you can escape those powerful tides by swimming parallel to the shoreline until you break free. (Fighting against the current by trying to swim back to land will exhaust you.)

Alyssa Zolna

Truth: Actually, urine will only worsen the sting, says Angel Yanagihara, Ph.D., a jellyfish venom expert at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. If you're stung, head to the nearest snack bar, ask the kitchen staff for a gallon of vinegar, and douse your wound with it—that helps remove any venomous bits that can keep stinging. Then soak the wound in hot water. No whiz necessary!

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Alyssa Zolna

Truth: Making sand angels and building sand castles aren't quite as sweet as they seem: Chances are, there's microscopic poop in the grains—and one study found that those remnants could cause gastrointestinal problems if they get near your food. A few easy fixes: Be sure to use hand sanitizer after playing in the sand and before eating, avoid touching your mouth in between, and always shower after a day at the beach.

Alyssa Zolna

Truth: Not all species are equally attracted to the smell of blood, but even for those drawn to it, like white sharks, scent alone often isn't enough to trigger a predatory response, especially from a distance. Surfers and swimmers get cuts all the time that emit amounts of blood comparable to a period, and the big fish usually aren't into it, says Christopher G. Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University at Long Beach. Sharks remain wary if they don't spot their regular, sure-thing prey—they'd rather not take a chance on humans. But if one moves quickly toward you, slowly back out of the water while keeping your eyes locked on it—it may realize you're watching, feel challenged, and get deterred.

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