Reason for concern about drinking from plastic bottles named

Drinking from glass containers is also risky

Drinking from plastic bottles can raise blood pressure, a new study warns. Its organizers suggest that this is due to microplastics entering the blood.

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A study found that drinking from plastic bottles may increase blood pressure due to microplastics entering the bloodstream, writes Daily Mail. But don’t rush to throw away plastic containers and carry water in glass with you.

Indeed, according to other research, the Daily Mail continues, microplastics have also been found in liquids contained in glass bottles, and experts warn that the associated higher blood pressure could lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

The latest study found that blood pressure dropped after participants stopped drinking liquids, including plain water, from plastic and glass bottles and drank only tap water for two weeks.

Researchers from the medical faculty of the Danube Private University in Krems an der Donau, Austria, said: “After careful research, we have come to the conclusion that beverages packaged in plastic bottles should be avoided.”

The researchers said they saw “remarkable trends” during the study: “These findings suggest for the first time that reducing plastic use could potentially lower blood pressure, likely by reducing the amount of plastic particles in the blood.”

“The changes in blood pressure we observed,” the researchers continued, “suggest that reducing plastic consumption could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Research shows that microscopic plastic fragments (microplastics), which are formed when plastic breaks down under ultraviolet light or when, for example, a bottle is slammed against a wall, are ubiquitous.

Scientists have repeatedly reported the presence of these tiny fragments in almost every part of the human body. Microplastics have been found in saliva, heart tissue, liver, kidneys and placenta. Now several studies have found high concentrations of them in water from plastic bottles, the Daily Mail notes.

In a new study published in the journal Microplastics, researchers asked eight men and women to drink only tap water every day and advised them to avoid drinks stored in plastic or glass bottles.

Several blood pressure measurements were taken at the start and during the study, the Daily Mail continues. And the results showed a statistically significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure — the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats — after just two weeks.

The researchers conclude: «Based on the results showing a reduction in blood pressure with reduced plastic consumption, we suggest that plastic particles present in the bloodstream may contribute to high blood pressure.»

The trouble is, however, that when you are on the road, for example, you may not always have access to tap water (not to mention the fact that not all tap water is suitable for drinking). So, no matter how you look at it, you can’t do without bottles – plastic or glass.