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[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

A woman describing herself as a menopause coach has written in today's Guardian that we should not drink water from plastic bottles because they contain xenoestrogens which can leech into the liquid and  disrupt our own hormones.

 What do you think ladies? It sounds a bit far fetched but I recall past news stories about avoiding using plastic bottles for babies unless they were marked ' BPA free'. I happen to drink a lot of water from plastic bottles and despite being post meno and using patches my hormones are still all over the place. Is it worth abandoning plastic bottles to see if it helps?   I'd be interested to hear your views.

Take care all.

K.

[CLKD]

Who is paying this women?  What is she basing her views on, any Research quoted?  If it leached surely the product inside would be clouded or have 'bits' in it?

Also, one would probably have to drink gallons of bottled water to make any impression on our hormones!  I never look at what the plastic bottles are made of, I wouldn't think that the Food Industry would be allowed to sell products that are 'dangerous'.

[CLKD]

PS - I buy The Guardian on a Sat., it takes me most of the week to read that and The Sat Telegraph 

[Hurdity]

This phenomenon has been known about for many years - haven't read the article but xeno-oestrogens in the environment are a real cause for concern. I resisted buying milk from plastic bottles and still don't like it. Also don't keep soft drinks for longer than their sell by date nor keep them in the warm - they also contain carcinogens - plasticisers.

Info on xenooestrogens here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoestrogen

Plasticisers here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21400322
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasticizer

I haven't read any of these in detail but well aware of the phenomenon - I haven't looked into the effect on our own hormones - and I don't have time to look in detail but there will be research out there - and some wacky stuff on sites trying to sell you products to counter it - ignore them and go to the reputable ones!

Hurdity x

Edit - just to clarify as I posted in a hurry - I meant the phenomenon of xenooestrogens in the environment and from plastic bottles is well known, but I haven't read how it affects our own hormones levels - if you look at the Wikipedia article you will see infoi on the effects on fish for example. I use a metal water bottle to drink from (stainless steel).

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies and thanks for your responses.

Hurdity - Very helpful reply as always. I will definitely check out the sites you listed and do some more research.

Wishing you well.

K.

[CLKD]

Hurdity - it's a phenomenon!

Girls - I've been drinking from plastic bottles as well as eating marine fish since I was weaned ……. still here.  There is likely to be more danger from a TV/Computer screen and from leaving a tampon in place for too long than from plastic bottles!

If the risk was there the drinks companies would have to change the format of delivery.

Wiki-whatever is posted by people not always in the 'know'!  It's good to eat sugar was encouraged by the Sugar Industry in the 1980s …….. I didn't ignore that one by the way  .  Life's too short to stuff a mushroom.

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Call me an old cynic but I don't automatically believe anything I'm told by any industry as their priority is protecting  the product and promoting sales.

Before the 1950s seven thousand scientific papers were published proving that lung cancer was caused by smoking but government's and the tobacco industry failed to inform the public. When the facts could no longer be denied the cigarette companies responded by trying to undermine the studies and suggested that lots of other activities were risky to your health so smoking wasn't that bad in comparison. An internal memo told tobacco executives that doubt was their product and they didn't gave to prove that smoking was safe they only had to create some doubt about the dangers. The tobacco companies were rich and influential and they influenced governments and the media. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Now we are able to do our own research and decide for ourselves who or what we believe which I find very empowering.

Take care all.

K.

[Hurdity]

Er yes CLKD that's what I said..... (Phenomenon!).

As for the rest of what you said - sorry but it's nonsense! Evidence of your assertions? One person's survival can't tell you anything about anything (like that) as you well know!!!!!!!!!!! (I've been using them for years. I'm OK therefore they are OK) - what a crazy argument!

Heavens above - no-one said that everybody is going to be poisoned/killed by drinking from plastic bottles - envronmental pollutants don't work like that - and the way data are presented and treated is similar in a way to the smoking issue (as Kathleen points out) - although in this case - there are known risks to certain substances and so called safe limits. I mean this is fundamental! I think you are just taking the mick there....  . Kathleen you are not a cynic but that is exactly it. All sorts of pesticides and products are used which have certain risks but there are bodies out there which check that levels don't exceed the so-called safe limit - which is often arguable anyway. We eat Nitrites in salted meat products and phthalates and other nasties in plastic bottles and other products, as well as breathing in plasticisers from new cars and other new products, all sorts from new carpets, paints etc.... numerous preservatives and food colourings in food and drink.....I could go on

Wikipedia is generally an excellent preliminary source of basic scientific information - and references are generally provided. Sometimes it is too technical but that's fine - those that understand it can read it. Where citations are lacking or further info is needed it usually says so. If someone posted rubbish then it would soon be corrected. Sometimes there are commercial entries but this is usually made clear ie if there is a bias.

I agree Kathleen - as long as we have the evidence then that should speak for itself.... but it's when it is hidden then we can get fooled by different interpretations eg from industry as you say.

Hurdity x

[Dana]

Girls - I've been drinking from plastic bottles as well as eating marine fish since I was weaned ……. still here.  There is likely to be more danger from a TV/Computer screen and from leaving a tampon in place for too long than from plastic bottles!

Well I suppose a 94 year old who's smoked for 80 years could say something similar. We still know that a smoking related disease will kill a hell of a lot of people. That one person just happened to be lucky.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Dana -  your comment is just the sort of thing that the tobacco industry wanted people to focus on. By the 1950s they could no longer hide the fact that smoking was dangerous so they wanted people to believe it was just one of many ordinary and acceptable risks that we all live with everyday and only the unlucky few become ill.

 I wonder if the food industry is employing similar tactics now? " Oh it's only a bit of chemical residue in your bottle and you don't see people dropping down dead from having a drink!  Besides crossing the road is dangerous and we still do that everyday!" As the tobacco executive said in his confidential memo to staff " doubt is our product" if you can't convince the public that something is safe then at least hint that it's not really dangerous. Successful sales depend on it.

Okay rant over and I will be drinking my water today but only from a glass.

Take care all.

K.