The dangers of microplastics are common knowledge among modern researchers, who have proven links between these tiny plastic particles and increased risk of cancer1, endocrine disruption2, and cellular stress3. And now, a groundbreaking new study in the New England Journal of Medicine has also shown that plastic exposure is also correlated to increased risk of cardiovascular disease4.
The Study on Microplastics and Cardiovascular Health
The researchers examined the arterial plaque of 258 patients undergoing surgery to clear blockages in their neck arteries and found microplastics in the plaque of 60 percent of participants. These participants not only exhibited elevated levels of inflammation, but they were also 4.5 times more likely to suffer heart attack, stroke, or death within the next three years.
Since microplastics have already been shown to trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, abnormal heart rate, damage to blood vessels, impaired clotting, and disrupted normal heart rhythms, it’s unsurprising that their presence is correlated to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. That said, experts still caution that the study shows a correlation rather than proving causation, and more research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms behind microplastics’ health effects.
“There’s already a big awareness that microplastics are everywhere, in every geographic locale,” said Sanjay Rajagopalan, an author on the study and chief of cardiovascular medicine at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. “What we don’t know is do they have significant health effects and should we really worry about them? What are the long-term effects [of microplastics]?”
It’s Not Easy to Avoid Microplastics
Indeed, much of the recent microplastics research has shone a light on their pervasiveness in our environment. Microplastics have been found in the water we drink, the plants we eat, and even the air we breathe. They’re in everything from chewing gum to popular American beers to tea bags. And of course, they’ve made their way into our bodies, with one study showing that some human brains contain enough nanoplastics to make an entire plastic spoon.
The researchers behind the new study found that most of the microplastic in the arterial plaque of study participants was either polyethylene, commonly used in plastic bottles and products like Ziploc bags, or polyvinyl chloride, used in pipes, insulation, and medical devices. Previous research had already shown that microplastics have an affinity for fat molecules, which may be how the plastic particles came to be trapped in the arteries of the study participants in the first place.
While more research is needed to fully understand the link between microplastic exposure and heart health, this is just yet another reason for us to do everything we can to reduce our reliance on plastic.
Sources:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0024320524005277
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9885170/
- https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8929/4/2/23
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822?articleTools=true
