Plastic is everywhere…even in our brains

According to a recent study, plastic particles are found everywhere, be it in water, food or even the air, and they also seem to end up in our organs.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico were able to show that microplastics can have a significant impact on the digestive tract, leaving traces in the intestines, kidneys, liver and even the brain.

“Over the past few decades, microplastics have been found in the ocean, in animals and plants, in tap and bottled water. They seem to be everywhere,” explained Dr. Eliseo Castillo, an expert in mucosal immunology and leader of the study published last week in the journal Environmental Perspectives.

Scientists estimate that people eat up to five grams of microplastics every week.

Dr. Castillo’s team tried to determine what effect this meal had on the human body.

“We were able to detect microplastics in some tissues after exposure. This tells us that it can cross the intestinal barrier and penetrate other tissues,” said the expert who conducted research on mice.

Dr. Eliseo Castillo’s next step will be to find out whether a person’s diet can influence the amount of plastic they consume.

“Everyone’s diet is different. So what we’re going to do is give these lab animals a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet or a high-fiber diet, and they will either be exposed or not exposed to microplastics. The goal is to try to understand whether diet influences the absorption of microplastics into our bodies,” he said in a press release.