Scientists make concerning new link between plastic water bottles and substantial health risks – here's what you need to know

In case you needed another reason to ditch bottled water, Earth.com just revealed one: It raises your blood pressure.

What's happening?

According to Earth.com, a team from the Department of Medicine at Danube Private University in Austria recently performed a study of eight volunteers' hydration habits. They had participants switch from drinking from glass and plastic bottles to drinking from the tap only.

Their reasoning was simple: Plastic bottles shed microplastic, tiny pieces of plastic that people then swallow when they drink bottled water. Even glass bottles have been found to contain these harmful particles, according to Earth.com.

Those microplastics cause inflammation, hormonal disruption, and other complications in the short term, while the long-term effects are still being studied.

We can add one more symptom to the list: increased blood pressure. The researchers found that when reducing microplastic intake by drinking less bottled water, participants' blood pressure decreased.

"We concluded, after extensive research, that beverages packaged in plastic bottles should be avoided," the team said, per Earth.com. "The changes we observed in blood pressure suggest that reducing the intake of plastic particles could lower cardiovascular risk."

Why is this study important?

High blood pressure is a major factor in heart disease, which can be fatal. While the study didn't directly link microplastics to any deaths, it did reveal one potential way drinking plastic-filled bottled water can be harmful.

Unfortunately, cutting out bottled water won't completely rid us of microplastics. According to Earth.com, they've been found in human blood, organs, and even the placenta, meaning unborn babies are exposed.

That's in addition to the environmental effects of plastic pollution, which affects water sources all over the world, harming wildlife.

What can I do about microplastic exposure?

While it might be hard to cut them out of your diet entirely, guzzling them down doesn't help. Look for plastic-free alternatives to bottled water, like getting a reusable water bottle. You can also support brands that have gone plastic-free in their packaging. 

Finally, you can vote for policies and representatives that are pushing for less plastic usage all around.

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