A: I'm sorry to hear that you shelled out the big bucks for those so-called environmentally friendly hard plastic bottles. They might be friendlier for the environment, but they'll wreak havoc on your body.
Those bottles are made from polycarbonates that often include a chemical called bisphenol A or "BPA," and research indicates it could have hormone-mimicking properties. A report published by the National Toxicology Program claims that BPA is harmful to fetuses, infants, and children because it mimics human estrogen and can cause disruption of the endocrine system. Apparently, amounts of the chemical similar to those that people are exposed to, have caused brain, mood, and memory disorders in monkeys. Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has linked BPA to diabetes and heart disease in adults. A panel of 38 researchers blasted BPA at a government-sponsored conference. The panel reviewed OVER 700 PUBLISHED ARTICLES on BPA's effect on human health, and they cited numerous animal studies showing that even low doses could lead to breast and prostate cancer, obesity and hyperactivity, and reproductive problems such as infertility and miscarriage. Apparently, Americans have higher levels of BPA in their systems than those levels found to harm lab animals. That's enough evidence for me. If you're determined to tote your water around with you, get yourself a steel or glass container. And toss all your polycarbonate products into the trash. | 
