How Plastic Water Bottles Affect You

Before turning the bottle up there is a little information, you may need to know. While it is important to get plenty of water to keep hydrated, it is also important to know what is in the water you are putting in your body. You need to know how plastic water bottles affect you when you use and reuse them.

The Reusable Bottle

Many people choose to use reusable plastic containers to carry their water in everywhere they go. From children going to school to the businessperson heading to the office a popular choice for water containers is the stylish containers that are made of a hard plastic and are available in a variety of colors and styles. These popular bottles seem like a great way to promote water consumption, but are they safe to drink out of?
When learning how plastic water bottles affect you, one must start with the history of the plastic bottle. These popular bottles got their start with the environment conscious hikers and hippies have become popular with the main public. In fact, the original containers have been reproduced by other creators offering these bottles everywhere you shop. Research that began in 1998 has come to reveal that these very popular plastic bottles may not be as good on your health as once thought. These cool colored bottles are made from Lexan polycarbonate resin. This plastic polymer was accidentally created by General Electric in the 1950's. It was found to be very useful as it was tough and durable yet still lightweight.

While this product has been used four the last five decades in everyday household, items like DVD's, mobile phones, computers, water bottles and even baby bottles in plastic or with plastic parts are a relatively new addition to society. The last two items were a perfect fit for the durability of bottles because of it's ability to not save flavors or odors. It was thought that since it did not transfer the flavor of the bottle to the water it was a safe choice for water bottles.

Plastic Water Bottles and You

The important information is how plastic water bottles affect you and your health. The research that was begun in 1998 and then published in 2003 found that these popular bottles were leaking chemicals into the fluids that they held. Made from plastic #7 these baby bottles and popular water bottles were actually having the potential to cause more harm than they did good. While it is important to get plenty of water, you want that water to be free of chemicals.

These bottles contain a chemical called Bisphenol A or BPA for short. The question that the researchers need to find out was what effects could BPA have on the human body. Well BPA is a chemical that disrupts the distribution of hormones. The chemical BPA has been found to put you at risk of having breast and uterine cancer. It also decreases testosterone and can cause a low sperm count. It has been shown to cause havoc on our children's development as well. So if you ever wanted to know how plastic water bottles affect you, there is your answer.

If you find it disturbing to have to give up your cool water container then there are other options for reusable containers. Try using plastic containers made out of plastics #2, #4, and #5. These have been found to be the safest for reuse and consumption of food and water. There are also other options besides plastic containers. If your concern for how plastic water bottles affect you is a major concern than consider switching to a stainless steel container. It is important to be sure that the container is stainless steel inside and out for safety. These containers should be cleaned with soapy water often to prevent bacterial growth.