As we navigate through our golden years, health becomes a paramount concern, and we often take extra care to ensure our lifestyle choices contribute to our well-being. However, a recent study has brought to light a rather unsettling connection between a common daily habit and our health – specifically, our blood pressure. It turns out that reaching for that convenient plastic bottle of water could be doing more harm than good.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Danube Private University in Austria, suggests that drinking from plastic bottles can lead to an increase in blood pressure due to microplastics entering the bloodstream. These tiny particles, often invisible to the naked eye, are not just a threat to the environment but also to our cardiovascular health.

Plastic cups may degrade over time, causing microplastics to seep into drinks. Image Credit: Pexels/Ron Lach

Microplastics are the result of the degradation of larger plastic items, broken down by factors such as UV radiation or physical wear and tear. Alarmingly, they have been found not only in plastic bottles but also in fluids contained in glass bottles. This pervasive issue means that microplastics are nearly impossible to avoid in any bottled beverages.

The Austrian study observed a group of men and women who were instructed to get their daily fluid intake exclusively from tap water, avoiding any drinks stored in plastic or glass bottles. Over the course of two weeks, several blood pressure measurements were taken. The findings were significant: there was a noticeable decline in diastolic blood pressure – the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats.

This decrease in blood pressure after cutting out bottled drinks suggests that microplastics could be a contributing factor to elevated blood pressure, which is a known risk factor for heart disease. The researchers concluded that reducing the intake of plastic particles could potentially lower cardiovascular risk.

It's important to note that microplastics have been found in various parts of the human body, including saliva, heart tissue, the liver, kidneys, and even the placenta. The ubiquity of these particles is a growing concern, and their presence in our bodies is a testament to the widespread pollution problem we face.

So, what can we do to protect ourselves? Firstly, consider switching to tap water or using a glass or stainless steel bottle for your beverages. If you're concerned about the quality of your tap water, investing in a good water filter can be a wise choice. Not only will this help reduce your exposure to microplastics, but it's also a more sustainable option for the environment.

Moreover, it's essential to support initiatives and policies aimed at reducing plastic waste and improving recycling processes. By being conscious consumers and advocating for change, we can help address the root of the microplastics issue.

At the Seniors Discount Club, we understand that change can be challenging, especially when it involves breaking habits that have been part of our daily routine for years. However, the health implications of this study are too significant to ignore. We encourage our members to take these findings seriously and consider making adjustments to their beverage consumption habits.

Key Takeaways

• Drinking from plastic bottles can increase blood pressure due to microplastics entering the bloodstream, according to a new study.
• The study observed a decrease in blood pressure when participants avoided drinking from plastic and glass bottles, instead consuming only tap water for two weeks.
• Microplastics have been found in various organs and fluids in the human body and can contribute to an increased risk of heart disease linked to higher blood pressure.
• Researchers suggest that reducing the intake of plastic particles by avoiding beverages packaged in plastic bottles could potentially lower cardiovascular risk.

We'd love to hear from you, our readers. Have you experienced any health improvements after reducing your use of plastic bottles? Do you have tips for others looking to make the switch to more sustainable drinking options? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and let's help each other lead healthier lives while taking care of our planet.

 

[Dynamo]

I have always been suspicious of plastic bottles.

 

[novezar]

Without reading the script of this article, isn't bottled water just from an ordinary tap, &, possibly run through some type of filtering system ?

I reckon this bottled water business is just one hell of an accepted scam. Fools if U think its "Ridgy Didge" from some well hidden & secret spring. I'm not falling for it at all. I reckon that it's all Complete "BS".

The only bottled water which my wife & self drank was when we were in nth china in the middle of their summer. This was on an organised tour in a dry heat of 40C. In various hotels where we stayed, we only used bottled water there as well.

We were informed not drink local water out of the taps.

 

[Jennylolo]

Without reading the script of this article, isn't bottled water just from an ordinary tap, &, possibly run through some type of filtering system ?

I reckon this bottled water business is just one hell of an accepted scam. Fools if U think its "Ridgy Didge" from some well hidden & secret spring. I'm not falling for it at all. I reckon that it's all Complete "BS".

The only bottled water which my wife & self drank was when we were in nth china in the middle of their summer. This was on an organised tour in a dry heat of 40C. In various hotels where we stayed, we only used bottled water there as well.

We were informed not drink local water out of the taps.

We were warned in India and Egypt to have only bottled water even for brushing teeth.

 

[MariaG]

I don't like buying water, at all. I am already paying enough for my home use and cannot see the sense in paying more per litre than petrol for a drink of water. Tap water in my own container is what I carry with me wherever I go.

As far as this thread goes, high blood pressure might come when you have to pay so much for each sip.
It doesn't matter what you ingest, what you practice, where you live, how you live, there will always be something that crops up as being a risk. Look at the air we breathe.
My niece and her 3 children live in Merriwa. There was a news flash today that Merriwa town supply bore water has been tested and the level of radiation is higher than the standard national average. So, as I was going into a blind panic, the announcer said at the end....but there is no risk to the public. It's like a see saw.
I have heard about the risks of plastics over many years, and, have taken note. Look in your fridge, pantry, kid's lunch box, what you buy when eating on the run ... so it goes on, and on, and on.
It all does my head in.

 

["Flash"]

I would like to be able to show a photo of the black sludge that accumulates in most toilet systems in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide.
Most people I show are unaware that without a filter on their drinking water tap, this is what they are drinking!