Blood pressure is without doubt a major issue, and one that’s been receiving a lot of research attention for a good reason. The number of people who suffer from problems with their blood pressure – either having it too high or too low – is alarmingly high, and it doesn’t seem to be going down. Part of the problem is that the mechanisms of the condition aren’t completely understood – there are many factors that are suspected to contribute to blood pressure problems. And now, a new potential one has appeared on the scene – and it’s not one that many people were expecting.
According to recent research, bottled water could be potentially very harmful for people with blood pressure concerns, at least water held in containers made with BPA. However, Dr. Marcus Averbach, a cardiologist, says that the results of the study should not be interpreted too harshly, and the situation isn’t actually as alarming as it may initially seem.
Dr. Averbach stated that, while the research does show some link between elevated blood pressure and drinking bottled water from containers made with BPA, the link doesn’t seem to be that conclusive, and the research seems to have various fundamental flaws in its methodology. The main issue, reportedly, is that the sample size used was far too small for any definite conclusions to be drawn.
Additionally, this isn’t the first time BPA has been under the microscope of health researchers, and the last time the FDA evaluated the material, they claimed that it’s actually safe for ingestion. After that research, no peer-reviewed publications have been made claiming the contrary, so most agreed with the FDA’s initial assessment.
So, at the moment, the matter of BPA water bottles seems to be on the fence for many health experts. It’s clear that more research will be needed until more definite conclusions have been drawn, but according to Dr. Averbach, blood pressure patients should focus on developing a healthy lifestyle with a well-balanced diet that doesn’t include too many salts, fats and other substances known to contribute to blood pressure problems.
In addition, various lifestyle factors such as smoking should be avoided, as they have been shown to be major contributors to blood pressure problems, particularly for people with elevated blood pressure. As more research is being made in this field, it’s becoming more and more clear that it’s crucial to stay well-informed when one wants to deal with high blood pressure. New information comes up all the time, and dealing with the condition relies to a large extent on knowing exactly what factors should be avoided in one’s everyday life, and what activities/foods to focus on more actively.