Eating microscopic plastic particles with food or drinks can have serious health effects. This is evidenced by the results of a new study conducted by scientists at California University in Davis (USA).
During the experiment, laboratory mice were given small doses of polystyrene nanoparticles daily - a type of plastic, which is often used in packaging products. This amount corresponded to the one that modern person receives with food, according to the calculations of researchers - from 40-50 thousand to 10 million particles of microplastics per year.
The results were alarming: the animals developed intolerance glucose, signs of inflammation of the liver, and increased intestinal permeability and endotoxins in the blood. All these are signs of systemic metabolic disorders that can lead to chronic diseases in humans.
"Our research has shown that even the amount of plastic that are familiar to modern nutrition can cause significant changes in the body," said the author of the study, Ammi Parkgerst.
Scientists plan to continue working on the study of the impact of microplasty on other organs and systems, as well as to investigate the mechanisms of its accumulation in the human body.
