The fact that we continue to drink from plastic straws despite all the information surrounding the dangers of Bisphenol A (BPA) is incredible.  Even plastics that are free of BPA pose serious health problems if used long term.

One study found that most plastics release estrogenic chemicals into the body (1).  These fake estrogen’s can disrupt hormone levels in the body and can lead to all types of health problems.  Too much estrogen has become a serious problem amongst the population.  This problem especially affects men since estrogen will lower testosterone levels in the body.

Below are the top 5 reasons why you need to toss the plastic straws and replace them with glass straws!

1. Plastic Straws Contain Hormone Disruptors

As mentioned before, plastic contains fake estrogen’s that disrupt the natural balance of hormones found within in the body.  However, plastic has also been shown to contain harmful chemicals.  One study found that over 18 brands of bottle water contained over 24,000 chemicals which all acted as endocrine disruptors in the body (2).  This is bad news for anyone who drinks from a straw constantly since these chemicals will eventually build up in the body over time

2. Plastics contain Phthalates

Many of plastics today contain a harmful chemical called phthalate. These phthalates have been linked to pregnancy loss and gestational diabetes in pregnant women (3).

Phthalates have also been shown to down regulate testicular function in men by reducing the secretion of testosterone (4).  This is terrible news for men looking to maintain healthy testosterone levels throughout their lifetime.

3. Plastics are Destroying the Ocean

More than 4.3 million metric tons of plastic gets dumped into the ocean each year.  With each and every passing year our ocean becomes more and more polluted.   Species are becoming instinct at a rapid pace and sea food is becoming more and more toxic.  Each time you drink from a plastic container, or straw, you contribute to this population.  Using Glassware is an absolute must for anyone who wishes to save our ocean from destruction.

4. Kills Libido in Women

Studies show that plastics can contribute to an androgen deficiency in women which leads to low libido and sex drive (5).  Again, this it mostly due to the harmful phthalates found in plastic, but many other synthetic chemicals found in plastic can also contribute to the problem.

5. Reduces Egg Quality in Women

Studies have linked increase BPA exposure to poor egg quality in women (6).  In other words, BPA causes infertility in women hoping to get pregnant.  As well as causing poor egg quality, BPA has also been linked to birth defects (7).  For any women wishing to become pregnant, serious effort should be made to remove all plastic from the diet.

Where to Buy Glass Straws and Bottles

We personally have switched over to glass drinking bottles and glass straws ever since we became aware of the dangers plastic can have on overall health.  We like to use Purifyou Glass Water Bottle because we can take it anywhere on the go and it has a protective sleeve which stops it from breaking.  We also like to use Hiware Straws when we want to drink our favorite smoothies from a straw.