Put down that plastic water bottle…
Why you need to consider an alternative water solution to tap and plastic bottled water.
Water is one of the most important substances for human survival and safe, healthy water is of the utmost importance. We have excellent water filtration systems in the United States that remove all sort of harmful bacteria, viruses and chemicals. However, drinking water in United States, both tap and bottled, may still contain some harmful endocrine disruptors & fluoride. It is important to avoid water with these harmful chemicals. How? Proper filtration and avoiding plastic bottles. First, lets cover what are these harmful substances, where do they come from and how they may negatively impact health?
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that measure less than 5mm in length. They come from a variety of sources, such as synthetic clothing, cosmetics, and plastic waste, and can end up in our waterways and water bottles. According to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology, microplastics have been found in tap water and bottled water across the globe (1). These tiny particles can have a negative impact on health by disrupting the endocrine system, causing reproductive problems, and even leading to cancer (2).
Other endocrine disruptors, such as pesticides and estrogens can be found in our water sources. They can come from a variety of sources, such as animal waste, agricultural runoff, and wastewater treatment plants. These chemicals can also lead to a variety of health problems, including developmental issues, reproductive problems, and even cancer (2).
Fluoride has been added to the water supply of most municipality in the US. The claim is that by adding it to the water we can decrease the rate of dental carries and there is some correlational data that this has helped. But in conjunction with adding fluoride to the water we have also increase awareness of oral health. The issue with fluoride is the neurotoxicity and dental fluorosis. The latter is simply a cosmetic issue - white streaks on the teeth or the more severe version of browning of the teeth. On the other hand the neurotoxic component can have lasting effects on intelligence. Two separate studies have observed a strong inverse correlation between the exposure or consumption of fluoride in early development and IQ later in life. In other words fluoride exposure or consumption equals lower intelligence (3, 4).
Proper water filtration ensures that you are consuming water that is free of fluoride, microplastics and hormones. . Some carbon-based filters can effectively remove microplastics and hormones from your water. There are specific systems are designed to remove fluoride from drinking water. Reverse osmosis is an effective filtration method that can remove almost all contaminants from your water. Specifically it can remove fluoride, microplastics and hormones. It is important to note that while these filtration methods can remove harmful substances from your water, they may also remove beneficial minerals, such as sodium. We recommended a filtration system that uses a combination of these methods to ensure that your water is both safe and healthy to drink. Beyond water filtration we recommend avoiding water in plastic bottles as there is evidence most if not all water from plastic bottles contains microplastics (5) Avoid other containers with BPA and other endocrine disruptors. Try to use glass or stainless steel bottles. Additionally, aluminum is also a good alternative, albeit not as good as glass or stainless steel.
Consuming water that is free of microplastics and hormones is crucial for maintaining good health and improving the quality of your water can be one of the most impactful healthy changes you can make. With the prevalence of these harmful substances in our water sources, it is important to use a filtration system that can effectively remove them. By choosing a filtration system that uses a combination of methods, you can ensure that your water is safe and healthy to drink.
References:
1. Li H. et al. (2023). Occurrence of microplastics in commercially sold bottled water. 8672. Gonsioroski, A. Mourikes, VE. Flaws, JA. (202) Endocrine Disruptors in Water and Their Effects on the Reproductive System. Int J Mol Sci. 12;21(6): 19293. Rivka Green, MA et al (2019). Association Between Maternal Fluoride Exposure During Pregnancy and IQ Score in Offspring in Canada. JAMA Pediatr. 173(10) 940-948.4. Yu, X et al (2018) Threshold effects of moderately excessive fluoride exposure on children's health: A potential association between dental fluorosis and loss of excellent intelligence. Environ Int. 118:116-1245. Mason, SA. Welch, VG. Neratko, J. (2018) Synthetic Polymer Contamination in Bottled Water. Front Chem. 6: 407.