For Your Health, Ditch Plastic Water Bottles and Choose Filtered

<p>Adding to the list of alarming issues spiraling out of control is the matter of teeny-tiny pieces of plastic that have been linked to several serious health issues. From the top of Everest to the salt on your dinner table, microplastics have been found practically everywhere and in everything. We don’t know how much damage they’re doing, but scientists are deeply concerned about the long-term effects.</p> <p><strong>How we got here. </strong>We humans are addicted to many things, not least of all convenience. In our quest to make things handier, we have quietly introduced a potential menace into our lives in the form of microplastics. These tiny particles are often invisible to the naked eye and have found their way into every nook and cranny. This has made them a growing concern for the environment and human health.</p> <p><strong>The size of microplastics. </strong>Microplastics are polymer fragments that come from the breakdown of larger plastic items, synthetic clothing fibers, and industrial processes. They range in size from 0.2 inches to 1/25,000th of an inch. Anything below this is considered a nanoplastic, which is measured in billionths of a meter.</p> <p><strong>Plastics in the body. </strong>Research has found evidence of plastic particles in the blood, gut, feces, lungs, and reproductive tissues of people. They can even make their way across the placental boundary and end up in an unborn child. The potential health effects of these tiny bits remain a mystery, and the particularly small size of nanoplastics makes them hard to detect and study.</p> <p><strong>What damage are they doing? </strong>Microplastics have been linked to endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, poor reproductive health, and cancer. Research has found that microplastics leech dangerous chemicals and additives like bisphenol A and phthalates.</p> <figure><img alt="Endocrine disruptors and the associated endocrine disorders | Source: Priyam A, Singh PP and Gehlout S (2018) Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Engineered Nanomaterials in the Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Front. Endocrinol. 9:704. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00704" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/VAz8meFMdO/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Endocrine disruptors and the associated endocrine disorders. <em>Source: Priyam A, Singh PP and Gehlout S (2018) Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Engineered Nanomaterials in the Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Front. Endocrinol. 9:704. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00704</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>We don’t have the full picture. </strong>According to an analysis of the available research from the WHO, our evidence connecting microplastics to serious adverse health issues is limited as there are major knowledge gaps in the science. We can’t conclude the causality of adverse effects just yet, and more research is needed to gain a complete understanding of the risks.</p> <p><strong>Human consumption. </strong>Recent research suggests that we are constantly inhaling and consuming microplastics through contaminated seafood, tap and bottled water, and even beer and salt. One study found that the average adult consumes roughly 2,000 microplastics per year through salt.</p> <p><strong>Nanoplastics. </strong>As plastics break down over time, they turn into extremely small particles called nanoplastics. Although they are widespread, little is known about their effects. They are small enough to enter cells and tissues in the body.</p> <p>Nanoplastics can migrate through the digestive tract or lungs to the bloodstream, and experts fear that along the way they may be distributing harmful synthetic chemicals.</p> <p><strong>Plastic water bottles. </strong>We’re glued to them, but they’re a major source of microplastics. Water bottles are commonly made from polyethylene terephthalate or other types of plastic that progressively degrade into smaller fragments.</p> <p><strong>Nanoplastics and water bottles. </strong>New research supported by the NIH used a technique called stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy to detect micro- and nanoplastics at the single-particle level. The researchers found that the average liter of bottled water contained around 240,000 little bits of plastic, 90% of which were nanoplastics. This is 10 to 100 times more than what has been previously observed in studies.</p> <p>The findings back up advice from experts that drinking tap water from glass or stainless-steel containers is the better choice to reduce exposure to microplastics. While plastic water bottles might trump in terms of convenience, the long-term effects of our reliance on them are becoming increasingly evident.</p> <figure><img alt="Person Holding Stainless Steel Vacuum Flask Photo | Source: Bluewater Sweden/Unsplash" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/VAzXXLWUMd/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Use a stainless steel container instead of a plastic water bottle. Photo <em>Source: Bluewater Sweden/Unsplash</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>No end in sight to water bottle consumption. </strong>Despite growing awareness of the issue, plastic water bottles remain immensely popular. Millions are used and discarded every day in the US, which increases the proliferation of microplastics in our environment. Recycling helps to a degree, but many plastic bottles end up in landfills or incinerators, where they continue to break down and release microplastics.</p> <p>Reducing our reliance on single-use plastics, increasing consumer awareness, and promoting the use of filtered water will help to reduce our exposure to microplastics. We can’t avoid them completely, but using filtered water is among the best ways to reduce your exposure as much as possible.</p> <h2>More on Plastic Pollution and Microplastics</h2><ul><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/mr7xb46hzj-plastic-pollution" target="_blank">Plastic Pollution: A Guide to Plastic in the Ocean</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/wzo4bd90lm-endocrine-disruptors" target="_blank">Endocrine Disruptors: What They Are and How They Affect Your Health</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/wx4x55qhzm-bisphenol-a" target="_blank">Bisphenol A (BPA): Health Effects and Its Use in Food Packaging</a></li></ul>