Best Shower heads for MAC

If it makes you feel better that you are "doing something" by replacing your shower head, then do it. But that doesn't help with exposure to MAC prevalent throughout the environment.
After reading everything I can get my hands on, I would say the science isn't there yet to prove a conclusive link between your MAC infection and specifically, your shower. And even less that replacement of the shower head will "cure" the problem or prevent reinfection. As I understand this disease, once your lungs are colonized with MAC, it is not totally eradicated by treatment - just knocked down to undetectable numbers, so trying to "prevent infection" may be a moot point.
All of the studies cited are of very limited scope, with small sample sizes, and only one (from Japan) compared strains of mycobacterium found to the strains infecting residents of the homes. The results showed that only a few of the NTM found in the showers matched the strain the patient was infected with. None of the studies went as far as to evaluate any treatments like disinfecting or replacing the shower heads.
From a microbiological perspective, the biofilm that is formed surrounding NTM is tough, and I don't know what you can do at home to dislodge it & disinfect. That should certainly be subjected to thorough study as part of NTM research. That biofilm readily attaches to plastic - hmm, maybe the increase in infection is linked not to the shower heads, but to the replacement of copper plumbing and metal fixtures with plastic fixtures and pipe (PVC & PEX.) That would certainly be something to study as well.
As for myself, I have chosen to take the path of living a normal life, with reasonable precautions. I eat, rest, exercise, take my meds and do my breathing treatments to stay healthy. I wash my hands (a lot) and keep them away from my face. I avoid close contact with sick people. That means taking care when handling soil (avoid dust, wear gloves, wash thoroughly afterward.) At my Texas home, where I am pretty sure I contracted MAC, I have covered all the soil near my patio with ground cover, have a gardener mow, weed, rake & fertilize my yard & wash the patio while I am away & the house is well closed. I only garden there in pots with sterile potting soil. And I avoid blowing dust.

Hi Suenim.....It is recommended by National Jewish Hosputal to use the Micron 0.2 filter attached to your shower head...this prevents MAC from getting thru...Dr Falkingham, guru in MAC recommends...I just also ready a recent study done, saying that patients r likely getting reinfected in the bathroom...ie high level of MAC found in showerhead, bathroom tap, sinks bathtub water etc....I agree with slit of what you are saying as well....I tend to follow National and Mayo recommendations to extend my life as long as I can without getting crazy about things

Hi Jennifer - I guess I am a research/science geek. Can you cite the recent study you are referring to ? I would like to read it. Most of what I have seen about reinfection looked anecdotal to me. I would like to see an actual study.

Can anyone recommend any water filters? Are there only tap type filters or are there any of the 0.2 micron ones for filters like PUR or Brita?

I get that the plastic piping that has replaced the old copper pipes is a source of Mac but at least it’s not building up in my shower head. I thought I was minimizing my risk by only using the shower when I washed my hair but when my husband took the old shower head down, it was full of water after 3 days. At least I know this one is dry and clean between uses!

Thanks in advance for any information people can share on filters.

@sueinmn I just posted an article of study that Jennifer is referring to this past week. Did you see it? It is not the first study I have read about the connection between bathrooms being the possible source of mac infection. Studies showed that the dna of the mac found in showerheads did match the dna taken from a sputem sample of the patient. We cannot totally avoid mac exposure, but we can reduce the viral load and do things to minimize the exposure. I am like you; live with common sense and do the things you are doing to stay well. I am not going to make myself crazy trying to avoid it altogether.

@sueinmn Here is one article about the mac connection to the bathroom. https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-abstract/45/3/347/359377

Hi Kathy....I get my water filters from Palls in Canada...I think they are in the states as well...I use in my kitchen tap...I take baths instead of showers, leaving a window open and a new ceiling fan on....

Hi Terry✌️✌️ Maybe that was the recent article I just read as well...read so much info, didn't realize it was you until you posted. Lol

Hi Terri - Yes, I read the study you cited, as well as several others. Still not convinced we can avoid MAC through any water supply because it is so ubiquitous - one small, older study even found it in bottled water! We have raised our water heater temp, because that is the one universal recommendation that makes sense to me.
And, it doesn't make sense that our home is the nexus of my infection - my husband, who soaks in our whirlpool & showers "by the hour" also has bronchiectasis, and he repeatedly tests negative for MAC.

We live in a condo so unfortunately cannot change the water temperature.
I’m still learning so have another question that you think is basic... can you get it from drinking water? Is bottled water good enough if does it have to be filtered? What about the plain old tap water? With or without a filtration system?
Thanks,