Ditch the plastic! New study links takeout containers to increased heart failure risk

Eating from Plastic Containers? It could increase your risk of heart failure! A recent study has revealed alarming health implications associated with eating from plastic takeout containers, linking it to an increased risk of congestive heart failure. Conducted by Chinese researchers, the study involved over 3,000 participants and examined the effects of plastic exposure on heart health.

Even short-term exposure to particles leaching into food or liquid from plastic containers “can induce changes in cardiac muscle tissue” that indicates cardiovascular disease, said the study published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.

The findings were observed over three months, during which rats were fed water that had been exposed to boiling water in plastic containers at different intervals – 1 minute, 5 minutes and 15 minutes.

“The results indicated that ingestion of these leachates altered the intestinal microenvironment, affected gut microbiota composition, and modified gut microbiota metabolites, particularly those linked to inflammation and oxidative stress,” the study said.

“Additionally, this exposure resulted in damage to the heart muscle tissue of the rats, alongside increased markers of myocardial injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress,” it added.

“It leads to changes in myocardial tissue, gut microbiota, and metabolites, all closely tied to CVD,” the authors of the study said.

They also cited a previous study, which said: “Plastics contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates (PAEs) and plasticizers, which are linked to higher CVD risk.”

How to Reduce Heart Failure Risk?

To mitigate heart failure risks, experts recommend avoiding plastic containers, especially for hot food. Instead, opting for glass, wood, or stainless steel alternatives can significantly reduce exposure to harmful chemicals124.

Plastic in Brain?

In a separate study published in the journal Nature Medicine earlier this month, researchers from the University of New Mexico and other institutions examined organs collected from autopsies of 91 people who died over the last quarter century. 

The scientists tested small samples from different organs, including the brain, liver and kidneys, to measure the amount of plastic present.

The results concluded that plastic is lodged primarily in our brains.