Why are drinks in metal packaging dangerous?
If a person constantly drinks drinks from metal cans, it can cause their blood pressure to rise. This is shown by the results of a study published in the new issue of the journal Hypertension.
It should be noted that in a previous study scientists have already proven the link between the consumption of packaging containing the substance BPA (bisphenol-A), which is used in the epoxy coating of plastic cans and bottles, and high blood pressure and variable heart rate.
But it was confirmed it was only the plastic containers. Now, in a new study by researchers at the Seoul National University College of Medicine, they have shown that drinking canned beverages from metal containers has the same effect.
“The increase in systolic blood pressure with the consumption of 2 canned drinks per day can cause clinically significant health problems, especially in people with heart disease or hypertension, and in healthy people there is a doubling of the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases “- explains the author of the study Yoon-Chul Hoon, executive director of the Center for Environmental Hygiene at South Korea University and head of the Department of Preventive Medicine.
As part of their research, Yoon-Chul Hoon and his colleagues conducted an experiment in which women over the age of 60 were asked to drink soy milk from an ordinary glass bottle, and then from a metal package.
The results showed that 2 hours after drinking the drinks, from each of the participants, the experts took urine for analysis, which was examined for the concentration levels of bisphenol-A. The volunteers’ blood pressure and heart rate variability were also measured.
Researchers found that urinary BPA concentration increased by as much as 1,600% when women drank soy milk from metal containers, compared to glass bottles.
Yun-Chul Hoon explains the choice of drink for the study by saying that soy milk is ideal for conducting scientific experiments because it does not contain ingredients that affect blood pressure.
The study authors believe their findings will help public health authorities, the medical industry, food and beverage manufacturers and the general public be better informed about the cardiovascular risks associated with the exposure to metal packaging through the consumption of food and drinks from them in general and to bisphenol A – in particular.
