Microplastics are everywhere: in our oceans, food and even the air we breathe. Recent research raises new concerns about what these tiny plastic particles could be doing inside our bodies, especially when it comes to heart health.

What Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, measuring less than 5 millimeters (about the size of a pencil’s eraser), while a single human hair is roughly 80,000 to 100,000 nanometers wide for comparison. Both microplastics and nanoplastics come from the breakdown of larger plastic consumer products in the ocean, soil, rivers, lakes and air.

These microplastics enter the human body when people inhale or ingest them. Previous studies have found them in organs, such as the lungs, liver, placenta and brain, as well as in breast milk, urine and blood.

How Do Microplastics Affect Arteries?

A recent study presented at the American Heart Association’s Vascular Discovery Scientific Sessions revealed microplastics embedded in plaque within the carotid arteries (the large arteries in the neck that carry blood away from the heart and into the brain). The study found that microplastic concentrations were 51 times higher in plaque from people who have had a stroke, mini-stroke or temporary blindness compared to healthy artery tissue.

These findings add to growing evidence that microplastics are not just an environmental issue. Microplastics may also impact human health in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. While it is not yet known if microplastics directly cause cardiovascular disease, their ability to accumulate in artery plaque raises red flags for heart and brain health.

How Can You Reduce Exposure?

While it is impossible to avoid microplastics completely, some ways to reduce exposure include:

1. Eating less processed food, which often comes in single-use plastic packaging
2. Switching to glass, stainless steel or aluminum food containers and utensils
3. Avoiding microwaving or dishwashing plastic items, as heat can release microplastics
4. Choosing unscented alternatives of lotions and detergents and avoiding air fresheners and plastics labeled No. 3, No. 6 or No. 7

Improving your overall health through exercise, balanced nutrition, quality sleep and stress reduction can help your body handle environmental stressors like microplastics.

Sources:
American Heart Association
Healthline