Monday, December 22, 2025
ADVT 
Health

Reusing Plastic Bottles Could Do You More Harm Than Good

Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Jun, 2017 12:01 PM
    Refilling those plastic bottles again and again could actually be harmful to your health, as per a new research.
     
     
    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 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 people sick.
     
     
    Although it is important to drink plenty of water, especially during the hot summer months, you may want to think twice next time you reach for that reusable bottle, if you want to avoid germs and getting sick.
     
     
    It's also a great idea to buy BPA-free plastic bottles where possible or invest in a refillable one made out of glass or stainless steel. Because 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.
     
     
    So what can you do to avoid becoming ill?
     
     
    It's simple really - don't re-use disposable bottles. Drink from them once and then recycle.
     
    Previous research has also shown that pregnant women exposed to BPA in high doses can potentially lead to low birth weight (LBW) in newborn children.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Gene behind sweating disorder detected

    Gene behind sweating disorder detected
    Mutation of a single gene blocks sweat production leading to an increased risk of hyperthermia, also known as heatstroke, said a study....

    Gene behind sweating disorder detected

    Fresh cow's milk shields babies from infections

    Fresh cow's milk shields babies from infections
    One reason why children today seem to catch infections more easily may well be the increasing scarcity of fresh cow's milk, researchers have found....

    Fresh cow's milk shields babies from infections

    Viagra may protect your heart

    Viagra may protect your heart
    An ingredient in Viagra not only can enhance the pleasure between the sheets but can also protect your heart, a study has found....

    Viagra may protect your heart

    How to prevent brain damage after trauma

    How to prevent brain damage after trauma
    A treatment to prevent the body's immune system from killing brain cells can reduce the brain damage caused by head injuries, a study co-authored by....

    How to prevent brain damage after trauma

    Kids' genes put mothers at risk of joints disease

    Kids' genes put mothers at risk of joints disease
     Having children with certain genetic makeup, inherited from the father, increases the mother's risk of rheumatoid arthritis - a chronic....

    Kids' genes put mothers at risk of joints disease

    Depression and ageing linked to single gene

    Depression and ageing linked to single gene
    A group of researchers from Germany and the US has found that both ageing and depression are associated with changes in a single gene....

    Depression and ageing linked to single gene