‘Men planning to have children should consider …’
Microplastics are an emerging environmental and health risk that is increasingly linked to negative consequences for wildlife and humans.
A study awaiting publication Journal of the Endocrine Society recently found evidence that its effects can be passed on to future generations.
What’s going on?
The summary begins: “Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles that emerge as significant environmental pollutants, and humans are exposed to microplastics everywhere.”
Exposure to microplastics has been linked to chronic health conditions, the researchers noted, and previous research has detected microplastic particles in human reproductive tissue.
In the summary, the authors explained that parental exposure to environmental contaminants has been shown to “increase the risk of cardiometabolic disease” in their children, but parental exposure to microplastics as a separate pollutant “has not been studied.”
Researchers to assess whether male mice were exposed to microplastics cardiometabolic Diseases such as type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity will occur more frequently in their children.
Using a new sequencing method, the authors were surprised to discover that female offspring of male mice exposed to microplastics exhibited “severe insulin resistance” compared to male mice.
They ultimately concluded that “parental exposure to microplastics may have a negative intergenerational impact on the metabolic health of offspring.”
Why is this study alarming?
As the authors emphasize, microplastics are indeed everywhere.
Plastic can take centuries to break down and more is being produced every year, increasing our exposure to hazardous plastic particles. Microplastics have been found not only in water, soil and air, but also in some of the least traveled places on Earth.
Researchers have detected microplastics in human reproductive tissues, but they have also been found throughout the human body, including brain tissue, organs and blood. Due to their prevalence, it is not possible to completely avoid microplastics.
Studies linking microplastics to negative consequences are alarmingly numerous, and new findings are constantly emerging that point to a growing environmental and health crisis.
Research tends to focus on direct and immediate effects, but this study highlighted the potential for microplastics to harm future generations without direct exposure. Lead author Changcheng Zhou, of the University of California at Riverside, explained why this is particularly concerning.
“These findings from a study in mice likely have implications for humans. Men planning to have children should consider reducing their exposure to harmful substances such as microplastics to protect the health of both themselves and their future children,” Zhou said. recommended.
What is being done against microplastics?
While microplastics are environmentally prevalent, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to minimize direct exposure, as Zhou advises prospective parents.
Using less plastic and your most used plastic items plastic-free alternatives can significantly reduce your exposure to microplastics.
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