A new study in Nature, as reported by Medical Xpress, is sounding an alarm about microplastics in the human body.
What's happening?
The new study said that microplastics have been found in kidney, urinary tract, and bladder cancers. The study also found the presence of even smaller particles called nanoplastics.
Researchers found that the plastics had harmed the cells, causing both inflammation and toxicity, which were bad for the cell's survival. They also disrupted signaling between the cells, specifically on a pathway that has to do with cell growth and spreading. Both of these may be tied to cancer.
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Five years ago, the World Health Organization released a report concluding that there was not enough information to assess the risks presented by microplastics in drinking water. If this new study is correct, then it helps fill in that gap — and people need to know.
The study said that "the documented cytotoxic effects of microplastics, alongside their ability to induce inflammation, reduce cell viability, and disrupt signaling pathways, raise significant public health concerns relating to bladder cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic urinary tract infections, and incontinence."
Why are microplastics important?
Microplastics are tiny, sometimes microscopic pieces of plastic that have found their way into food supplies, water supplies, and more. They've also been found throughout the human body, in everything from hearts to breast milk. It is so early in the research phase that it's impossible to tell the full extent of how they are really affecting human bodies everywhere.
The University of California, Davis, added that these plastics are harder to clean up than larger particles simply because they're so small. This means they may accumulate without our knowing, and it leaves us somewhat defenseless against them if they turn out to be dangerous.
What's being done about microplastics?
Research on microplastics is ongoing. Meanwhile, there are steps we can all take to avoid some, if not all, of them in our daily lives. Replacing your cookware can help you avoid ingesting them when you cook. Taking a good probiotic might help, too, as well as thinking through plastic exposure in all areas of your life.
One of the researchers on the study, Liam O'Callaghan, noted that starting to ask questions of corporations can help, too. "Why are we wrapping everything in plastic in the shops?" he said. "Does fresh produce really need to be wrapped in plastic, or could we just sell it all without the unnecessary packaging?"
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