Microplastics found in food can be taken to the brain, study says

Tiny plastic particles called “microplastics”, found in food, could migrate from the intestine to vital organs such as the brain. This is what a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives points out.

Microplastics are less than 5 millimeters. The substances can come from plastic pipes, for example. Scientists point out that, on average, we consume around 5 grams of microplastics each week. The research was carried out on mice that were exposed to the same proportion of microplastics as humans for four weeks.

“We detected polystyrene microspheres in distant tissues, including the brain, liver and kidney. Furthermore, we reported metabolic differences that occurred in the colon, liver and brain, which showed different responses depending on the concentration and type of exposure to the microspheres”, says the study.

Health risk

The research explains that the global use of plastic is increasing and many of the products end up in the oceans or in landfills, leading to an accumulation of plastic in the environment. “Plastic debris slowly degrades into microplastics that can be inhaled or ingested by animals and humans.”

The researchers state that the results highlight the health risks caused by exposure to different types, mixtures and concentrations of plastic microspheres.

One of the study’s authors, physician Marcus Garcia, from the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, told Medical News Today that “the implications of our findings for human health are substantial.”

Source: Redação Terra Você