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It’s something we all do but it could be seriously harmful
With temperatures soaring we should all be reaching for the water to stay hydrated. But, if you’re the kind of person that likes to refill your plastic bottle each day you could actually be doing more harm than good.
That’s because the plastic bottle you’re constantly replenishing isn’t made to be re-filled - meaning it could have the potential to leach chemicals and harbour harmful bacteria.
In particular, there have been concerns about Bisphenol A (BPA) – a controversial chemical, which is used in the manufacture of plastics and is thought to interfere with sex hormones.
"Certain chemicals found in plastic bottles can have effects on every system in our bodies,’ Dr Marilyn Glenville warned*Good Housekeeping.
"They can affect ovulation, and increase our risk of hormonally driven problems like PCOS, endometriosis and breast cancer, among other things."
It’s a sentiment shared by the NHS too, which has confirmed BPA has the potential to migrate into beverages. However, they have suggested that more research is required into the affects of the chemical on humans.
It said: "The science is not yet completely clear on how BPA may affect humans. BPA may mimic hormones and interfere with the endocrine system of glands, which release hormones around the body.
"Those calling for a ban suggest that it may be a factor in a rising numbers of human illnesses, such as breast cancer, heart disease and genital birth defects."
But aside from this, there is another potentially worrying side effect of topping up your water bottle – bacteria.
In a study conducted by*Treadmill Reviews, researchers lab-tested water bottles after each had been used by an athlete for a week and found that the highest number of bacteria reached over 900,000 colony forming units per square cm on average.
Worryingly, that's more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
It also found that 60 per cent of the germs they found on the water bottles were able to make people sick.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
With temperatures soaring we should all be reaching for the water to stay hydrated. But, if you’re the kind of person that likes to refill your plastic bottle each day you could actually be doing more harm than good.
That’s because the plastic bottle you’re constantly replenishing isn’t made to be re-filled - meaning it could have the potential to leach chemicals and harbour harmful bacteria.
In particular, there have been concerns about Bisphenol A (BPA) – a controversial chemical, which is used in the manufacture of plastics and is thought to interfere with sex hormones.
"Certain chemicals found in plastic bottles can have effects on every system in our bodies,’ Dr Marilyn Glenville warned*Good Housekeeping.
"They can affect ovulation, and increase our risk of hormonally driven problems like PCOS, endometriosis and breast cancer, among other things."
It’s a sentiment shared by the NHS too, which has confirmed BPA has the potential to migrate into beverages. However, they have suggested that more research is required into the affects of the chemical on humans.
It said: "The science is not yet completely clear on how BPA may affect humans. BPA may mimic hormones and interfere with the endocrine system of glands, which release hormones around the body.
"Those calling for a ban suggest that it may be a factor in a rising numbers of human illnesses, such as breast cancer, heart disease and genital birth defects."
But aside from this, there is another potentially worrying side effect of topping up your water bottle – bacteria.
In a study conducted by*Treadmill Reviews, researchers lab-tested water bottles after each had been used by an athlete for a week and found that the highest number of bacteria reached over 900,000 colony forming units per square cm on average.
Worryingly, that's more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
It also found that 60 per cent of the germs they found on the water bottles were able to make people sick.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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