Plastic Water Bottle BPA Causes Heart Disease

In the past, it was speculated that BPA toxins in plastic water bottles could be linked to health problems (source). Until recently, this was merely speculation and there was no hard and fast medical data or health research officially linking plastic BPA chemicals with actual health problems. That all changed with recent research released by the American Medical Association (AMA).

The AMA's latest medical study found that, while the FDA argues that BPA is safe for plastic water bottles, there is reason for concern. The study said that there is "evidence of effects in animals [which] has generated concern over low-level chronic exposures in humans" (source). The AMA's study concluded that "higher BPA exposure, reflected in higher urinary concentrations of BPA, may be associated with avoidable morbidity in the community-dwelling adult population" (source). That's right: BPA, found in many plastics including plastic water bottles, is linked to "avoidable morbidity."

How can you avoid BPA? Granted, it's hard. BPA is used everywhere, including food containers and water bottles. One easy way to avoid BPA is to look for the "No. 7" symbol on the bottom of your plastic water bottle or plastic container. Plastics with a "No. 7" recycling code often contain BPA.
The Chicago Tribune newspaper's report on this BPA health story asserts that the AMA's medical study is the first of its kind and the first scientific study to link BPA with heart disease and other health problems (source). The Chicago Tribune went on to say that it was "the first large-scale study in humans of [BPA]" and that "exposure to bisphenol A was associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities in adults" (source).

What does this mean for you? Simple: Once and for all, get rid of plastic water bottles! These are one of the most common sources of BPA in the lives of American consumers. Every year, more than 20 billion plastic water bottles will be consumed in the U.S., which takes over 2 million barrels of oil to produce (source). Even worse, many of these plastic water bottles aren't recycled, causing BPA toxin-related health problems for you and landfill problems for the planet.

And finally, if the dangers of water bottles doesn't hit you there, think about how expensive it is. Many people assume plastic water bottles are a cheap habit, but this is hardly the case. For example, drinking two bottes of water a day at $2 a bottle amounts to $600 a year for what would otherwise have cost you just $3 if you were paying for fresh, filtered tap water.

Kick the habit: Stop using plastic water bottles. You'll do the planet a lot of good, as well as your wallet. With this latest medical data from the AMA, you'll also be doing your health a lot of good as well.