A famous doctor on social media has revealed that he does not use plastic water bottles and urges others not to do so either.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a California-based doctor, warned that they contain too many toxic nanoplastics, which lodge in the body and are linked to cancer and infertility.
He pointed to a study covered by DailyMail.com earlier this year that found the average water bottle sold in the U.S. contains 240,000 pieces of these particles.
In a TikTok video viewed almost half a million times, the gastroenterologist begins by saying: “Stop using plastic water bottles.”
‘(These particles) have the potential to penetrate human cells and enter the bloodstream and major organs.
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Instead, he urged his followers to use reusable stainless steel containers to consume water.
Dr Sethi said drinking from a plastic bottle during hot days was very harmful.
Dr Sethi added: “The heat will cause even greater release of microplastics in the water bottle.”
But the video left some of its viewers with more questions than answers, with many pointing out that tap water also contains harmful toxins linked to health problems.
And reusable containers like Stanley cups have also been shown to contain metals linked to various diseases.
When it comes to water bottles, it is believed that small pieces of plastic end up in the products as a byproduct during the manufacturing process.
In January, DailyMail.com spoke to the lead authors of the plastic bottle study, who said the entire team reduced their bottled water consumption after discovering the small particles.
Professor Beizhan Yan, a chemist at Columbia University, told this website: ‘In terms of microplastic levels, tap water is a good choice for drinking.
“Other studies have found that the level of microplastics is much lower than that in bottled water,” Yan said.
Fears about tiny plastics have intensified in recent years.
A study published in 2023 used biological models and biomarkers to determine the toxic effects of nanoparticles when consumed.
The UK researchers found that the molecules can cause cell death, produce oxidative stress, damage DNA and induce inflammatory responses, processes linked to tumor formation.
Other studies have found that exposure to tiny particles can cause major congenital heart defects that affect heart function in chick embryos.
But the effects on humans are based on laboratory and animal studies without direct evidence.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for example, told DailyMail.com that it was too early to panic about bottled water.
A spokesperson said the agency is “not aware of scientific evidence to support consumer concerns about the potential level of microplastic or nanoplastic contamination in foods, including bottled water.”