Plastic water bottles are a convenient way to get clean water on the go but recent studies have shown that they may lead to serious health risks in the future. Many plastic water bottles contain Bisphenol A, also known as BPA.
BPA is known to mimic the female hormone, estrogen which can cause serious health effects on fertility and cause breast and uterine cancers. Other effects include kidney and heart problems.
A recent study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that urine samples of subjects who drank cold beverages out of plastic water bottles, versus stainless steel bottles had higher BPA levels by 69 percent.
When the plastic in the water bottles experience heat, the BPA level raises significantly. Mothers should be aware that most plastic baby bottles are made of BPA, which risks infants to cancer, heart disease, diabetes and liver problems later on in life. The amount of estrogen from BPA also affects the developmental process of young children.
The risk of BPA consumption is increased when water bottles are reused or heated.
The use of water bottles in general is also less than environmentally responsible. Although they are recyclable, millions find themselves in landfills across the United States every day. Plus, the making of water bottles is an expensive process that emits toxic pollutants and contributes to global warming.
With the amount of bad publicity about water bottles’ carbon footprint and the health risks, one doctor said that this seems to be the nail in the coffin for plastic water bottles. Many researchers recommend using reusable stainless steel water bottles or plastic water bottles that specifically say “BPA-free” which eliminates health risks as well as reduce the amount of waste.
BPA-free water bottles can be found just about anywhere these days, sports equipment stores, Target, Wal-Mart, even Bed Bath and Beyond has a wide variety of stainless steel water bottles and water bottles made of BPA-free plastic.
So the next time you go to take a swig out of your plastic water bottle, consider the health risks and your carbon footprint by using them. Try a stainless steel water bottle, not only does it take up less space in your fridge, it costs less and is a lot healthier for you in the long run.
