Risks of consuming bottled water

We have often heard that in order to stay healthy and to guarantee the intake of fluids into our body, one should drink 8 glasses of water daily. This is also to ensure the hydration process of our body. But how sure are we about the quality of bottled water that is available in the market? Studies have shown that drinking bottled water can often cause various health problems to your body. Researchers say people with weakened immune systems who are hospitalized are often given bottled mineral water under the assumption that it is not contaminated while related studies have showcased a different story altogether. Researchers say the high levels of bacterial contamination in bottled mineral waters may pose serious health threats to children, elders, and those with weakened immune systems such as people with cancer, kidney failure and diabetic patients. Recent years have seen an increase in awareness regarding the negative impact plastic water bottles have on the environment. Unimaginable amount of plastic waste makes it into our oceans that it is estimated that over a million marine animals are killed by plastic waste each year. The environmental effects of disposable water bottles alone should be enough to make us ditch the bottle and look for better alternatives.  While the environmental impact of plastic bottles gets most of the attention, there are also other reasons why you should consider better options for water consumption.

 Here is a list of some of the risks and dangers associated with drinking bottled water:

Bottled Water may NOT be Purified Water

While most of the bottled water brands are marketed as the ‘purest’, the reality is far from it. While some manufacturers put their water through additional filtering before bottling it, many do not and simply charge for the packaging. In fact, some studies have even suggested that bottled water is less safe than tap water in some places.

Bottled Water Often Contains Toxins from the Plastic

The primary risk associated with drinking bottled water is the fact that you can be exposed to harmful toxins from the plastic. Even though water is not acidic, whenever you drink out of a plastic bottle, you risk ingesting the chemicals used to make the bottles as these toxins can seep into the water over time. This is particularly common with older water bottles or those that have been exposed to heat.

Drinking Bottled Water Can Cause Development and Fertility Issues

While more manufacturers are choosing to sell BPA-free plastic water bottles, it is still a common component found in water bottles made from Type 7 plastic. One of the many problems with BPA is that it acts as a faux-estrogen, and when consumed in water through leaching plastic it can cause a variety of chromosomal abnormalities that have been tied to birth defects and developmental disabilities in children. Exposure to the estrogen in BPA can also cause decreased fertility in both men and women, and when children are exposed to BPA while in the womb this can lead to complications later in life such as hyperactivity disorders, early-onset puberty, and an increased risk for certain cancers.

Higher Chance of Various Diseases in Adults

Exposure to the toxins in plastic water bottles has also been linked to higher rates of disease as adults. It has been found that people who drink a lot of bottled water, and in particular those who had high concentrations of BPA in their urine, were three times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, and were 2.4 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than individuals with low concentrations of BPA in their bodies.