Our planet faces pollution from various sources, including microplastics, tiny plastic particles found in most of our food and water.
These microplastics are considered highly harmful to human health, linked to heart issues, hormone imbalances, and even cancer.
A recent study published in the journal Microplastics has now found that drinking from plastic bottles may increase blood pressure due to microplastics entering the bloodstream.
The study, conducted by the Department of Medicine at Danube Private University in Austria, revealed significant findings. Researchers provided a group of participants with fluids not stored in plastic bottles and observed a notable decrease in their blood pressure.
“Remarkable trends were observed. The results of the study suggest, for the first time, that a reduction in plastic use could potentially lower blood pressure, probably due to the reduced volume of plastic particles in the bloodstream,” the research team wrote.
They further hypothesised, “Based on the findings, indicating a reduction in blood pressure with decreased plastic consumption, we hypothesize that plastic particles present in the bloodstream might contribute to elevated blood pressure.”
The study concluded with a recommendation to avoid beverages packaged in plastic bottles.
A few years ago, scientists found that humans ingest about 5 grams of microplastics weekly through fluids in plastic bottles
To prevent microplastics from entering the body, the study suggests boiling and filtering tap water. These methods can reduce the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics by nearly 90%.
In the end, the researchers admitted that factors like gender differences in heart function and the possible impact of lower phthalate exposure weren’t included in the study, but they should be looked into further.
