Brits warned about health dangers of drinking bottled water that's gone warm

With the summer months rolling around and the temperature beginning to rise, it's more important than ever to stay properly hydrated.

It's not a bad idea to make sure you've got access to water wherever you go to avoid getting too thirsty, but you'd best beware of the dangers if that water has gone warm.

That's according to Sarah Lawson, a food safety expert with Storage Box Shop who warned about picking up a bottle of water that's been left out in the sunlight.

Maybe don't drink from plastic bottles that have been left out in the sun for ages. (Getty Stock Photo)

She said: "Do not drink bottled water that has been left in the sun or a hot environment, like a car.

"The heat can cause harmful chemicals to leach from the plastic into the water.

"Staying hydrated is important, but drinking water that has been left in the heat is not safe. Always keep your bottled water cool to protect your health."

Here's the science-y bit. When your bottle of water heats up it can result in chemicals from the plastic getting into the water, and these chemicals can be harmful to drink.

The chemicals include Bisphenol A (BPA), which are mostly found in food packaging and plastic bottles, and phthalates that are used to make plastics more flexible and transparent.

Water is really important as summer rolls around, but keep in mind where it's from. (Getty Stock Photo)

With them seeping into the water if it gets warm it can result in health issues, such as your stomach or head aching, while the chemicals can also make you feel dizzy - which is the last thing you need on a hot day.

In some cases, consuming chemicals can affect your body's hormones, as studies have shown that phthalates can have this effect on living creatures.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, phthalates are 'linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems'.

Therefore it's a good idea to go and look for some chilled water, or take steps to keep your bottle of water cool and protected from the sun's rays.

Quaffing your preferred beverage of hydration is all well and good, but you ought to pay attention to the container it's in as well.

The reason drinking warm water can have some health dangers isn't because it's warm but because of what that heat does to the container it's in.

If your drinks are in plastic bottles that can lead to some problems as you could be chugging plastic right alongside your water.

In a litre of bottled water, it's thought there are around 240,000 plastic particles, compared to an average of just 5.5 plastic particles in tap water.