Research shows that microplastic can weaken your bones
Microplastic can be According to recently published research, it is a factor in promoting osteoporosis. This study shows that when these small plastic particles enter the body, they disrupt the function of bone marrow stem cells, which are essential for maintaining and repairing bone tissue.
During your life, your bones are filled again. Osteoporosis is a condition that this process goes wrong, exceeding its replacement by decomposing the bone. This leads to weakening the bones over time and the possibility of fracture. The disease has many risk factors – age, sex, medications, diet, smoking and drinking and genetics all affect it – with a disease that develops slowly over time. Often people do not realize that they have the disease until they break the bone.
This new analysis, published in the journal Osteoproosis International, adds to microplastic exposure as a potential new risk factor. In this study, 62 scientific articles conducted various laboratory and animal laboratories on the possible effects of micro and nanoplastic on the bone. Laboratory experiments analysis showed that microplasts form the formation of osteoclasts, the cells created by stem cells in the bone marrow that destroy the bone tissue to enhance the absorption, a process that breaks the body and destroys the old or damaged bone.
The study also showed that in relation to bones, plastic particles can reduce cells’ survival, cause premature cellular aging, change gene expression, and stimulate inflammatory responses. A combination of these effects causes an imbalance in which osteoclasts provide more bone tissue than regeneration and weaken the weakening of the bone structure.
When looking at animal studies, the researchers found that the accumulation of microplastic in the body reduces the number of white blood cells – this indicates changes in bone marrow function. In addition, these animal studies suggest that the effect of microplastic on osteoporosis may be associated with worsening bone microstructures and forming irregular cell structures, increasing the risk of bone fragility, abnormalities and fractures.
“In this study, the observed, worrying side effects have reached the peak of animal skeletal growth,” Rodrigo Bueno de Oliveira said in a press release. “The potential effect of microplastic on bones is the subject of scientific studies and is not insignificant.”
Oliveira, coordinating the laboratory to evaluate mineral and bone disorders in nephrology at the Campinas State University in Brazil, is now working with its team to further expose the exposure to microplastic exposure and worsen bone. This research begins with the assessment of the effects of microplastic particles on the rodent’s thighs.
“Although osteoporosis is relatively well understood, there is a gap in our knowledge about the effect of microplastic on the growth of these diseases, so one of our goals is to produce evidence that microplastics can be a potential environmental factor, for example, increased bone failure,” Olivier said.
Microplastic and nanoplastic are small pieces of plastic – so small that they are invisible to the naked eye – that they are separated from everyday objects during sunlight, wind, rain, seawater or abrasion. The main difference between the two is: microplastic is measured from 1 micrometer (one thousandthmm) to 5 mm, while nanoplastic is smaller than 1 micrometer. These particles have been discovered around the world in natural environments as well as in the human body and in various meat, water and agricultural products.
Studies have shown that this type of plastic contamination can damage health. Experts argue that this means that the world immediately needs to reduce the use of plastic. More than 500 million tonnes of materials are produced worldwide each year, but only 9 % are recycled and the remaining part of the environment expands and humiliated.
This story appeared first Wired en español And translated from Spanish.
