A study shows that drinking from plastic bottles can increase blood pressure because microplastics enter the bloodstream.
Other research has shown that microplastics have also been found in liquids in glass bottles. Experts say the higher blood pressure associated with this could lead to a greater risk of heart disease.
The most recent study found that blood pressure dropped after participants stopped drinking liquids, including water from plastic and glass bottles, and drank only tap water for two weeks.
Researchers from the Department of Medicine at the Danube Private University in Austria said: ‘After extensive research, we have come to the conclusion that drinks packaged in plastic bottles should be avoided.
Drinking from plastic bottles can raise blood pressure by releasing microplastics into the bloodstream, new research shows (archive photo)
‘Notable trends were observed. The results of the study suggest for the first time that a reduction in plastic use may potentially reduce blood pressure, probably due to the reduced volume of plastic particles in the bloodstream.
‘The changes we observed in blood pressure suggest that reducing plastic particle intake could reduce cardiovascular risk.’
Research shows that microplastics – microscopic fragments resulting from plastic degradation under the influence of UV radiation or when a bottle is knocked over – are ubiquitous.
Microplastics have been found in saliva, heart tissue, liver, kidneys and placenta. Several studies have found high concentrations in water in plastic bottles.
New research shows that microscopic fragments – the result of plastic degradation caused by UV radiation or the result of knocking over a bottle – are ubiquitous (archive photo)
In the new study, published in the journal Microplastics, researchers asked eight men and women to get their daily fluid intake from tap water and asked them to avoid drinking beverages stored in plastic or glass bottles.
Several blood pressure measurements were taken at the beginning and during the study. The results showed a statistically significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure – the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats – after two weeks.
The researchers said: ‘Based on the findings, which indicate that blood pressure decreases with reduced plastic consumption, we hypothesize that plastic particles in the bloodstream may contribute to increased blood pressure.’
