Is Drinking Water From Plastic Cups and Bottles Dangerous? It DEPENDS.
Migraine Headaches and Plastic 
According to research conducted at Kansas University, if you are suffering from migraines, it could simply be a result of drinking water from certain types of cups or bottles. Older plastic bottles and cups contain the chemical BPA or Bisphenol A. This chemical, found in synthetic packaging, has already been linked to a number of potential health problems including infertility, heart attacks and obesity. For those susceptible to migraines, BPA could also make these headaches worse, increasing light sensitivity and other symptoms.
While you may or may not have already heard of BPA, this chemical is quite widespread across the U.S.. According to the CDC, in research testing more than 2,500 participants (between ages 6 and 85,) 93% tested positive for the presence of BPA. This means that you may have inadvertently been triggering more severe migraines simply with your choice of water bottle or cup. So you may want to look into the brand of drinking water and the bottles / cups you are using.
Eliminating the Risk: At EcoWater Nebraska WE DON’T USE PLASTIC with BPA. PERIOD.
Even though the science is not yet 100% definitive, early on, we realized it was not worth the risk to wait and find out. So as one of the major distributors of bottled drinking water in Nebraska… none of our plastic bottles contain ANY BPA.
Reducing the Risk
One of the first pieces of advice issued by healthcare professionals to avoid headaches is to ensure that you are properly hydrated to begin with… so you may actually have migraines and drinking from water containers that have NO BPA. For many of us, this means carrying a bottle of water with us all of the time. Unfortunately, as this research suggests, your plastic bottle or plastic carry cup may actually be making your condition worse. So again, check it carefully.
Nancy Berman, Ph.D, one of the leading experts on migraines in the U.S., suggests monitoring your drinking practices and tracking when migraines or headaches occur in relation to your consumption of water. Migraine sufferers are usually aware of their own particular food triggers and have made dietary adjustments. Identifying whether there is a link between your plastic water bottle or cup can be achieved similarly.
While you may be concerned about the quality of your drinking water, you need not worry that all plastic bottles have this problem. In addition to EcoWater Nebraska’s practice of NOT using BPA, other national brands have followed suit in the water bottles, moreover there are other means for staying hydrates that don’t even involve plastic bottles AT ALL. There are several water treatment devices designed for use in your home. From under-countertop Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) systems to whole house systems. These water treatment systems not only filter out impurities such as calcium or magnesium, but could also limit dramatically your exposure to BPA. In many cases, these devices can deliver high quality drinking water for a fraction of the cost of bottled water. This means that you could not only reduce the risk of migraines, but save a few dollars in the process. Improving your drinking water and reducing your exposure to BPA could provide a great boost in the quality of your life.
While many of us have experienced a headache from time to time, a migraine is a whole other story level of headache pain. Migraines can literally put your life on hold. Extreme cases may mean that you feel nauseous and vomit or suffer from visual disruptions, many people find that listening, seeing, eating, working or any other basic daily activity is impossible. Whether you find that you are bothered with minor headaches or suffer severe migraines, you may not have considered that drinking water from plastic cups or bottles could be the underlying cause… so stop, check the type of water bottle you are getting your water delivered in or what type of plastic container you are drinking from. If you are not sure if it has BPA in it, ASK. It’s your health and your body.
About The Author, Terry Reeh, Partner EcoWater Systems of Nebraska:
With more than 25 years experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space , Terry is a WQA (Water Quality Association) certified water specialist, LEVEL 3, as well as a WQA certified sales representative. In addition to running the day-to-day operations of EcoWater Systems of Nebraska, one of the biggest water treatment and water delivery enterprises in the state, Terry currently sits on EcoWater Systems (a Berkshire Hathaway Company) national Peers committee, as a water treatment expert advising other water professionals with less experience on best trade and technology practices.