Tiny plastic fragments floating through our environment may be doing more than polluting oceans, they could also be quietly undermining your bones. Wired reports that researchers are now warning that microplastics could be a hidden culprit behind rising rates of osteoporosis because these particles appear to interfere with the body's natural process of repairing bone and may contribute to skeletal weakening. Microplastics—minuscule bits of plastic that turn up everywhere from bottled water to fresh produce—may be doing more than cluttering the planet. According to a study published in Osteoporosis International, they could be sabotaging bone health by interfering with bone marrow stem cells. These are the very cells responsible for keeping skeletons strong and repaired.
The research, which reviewed 62 existing studies, found that microplastics disrupt the body's bone maintenance system, and lab tests showed these particles encourage the creation of osteoclasts—the cells that break down bone tissue. Normally, bone is in a balancing act between breakdown and rebuilding, but with microplastics in the mix, the scales tip more toward destruction. The result: bones that weaken more quickly, raising the risk of fractures and deformities.
Animal studies backed this up, showing that microplastics can lower white blood cell counts and interfere with bone structure. In extreme cases, these effects even stunted skeletal growth in test animals. "The adverse effects observed culminated, worryingly, in the interruption of the animals' skeletal growth," said study co-author Rodrigo Bueno de Oliveira, who is launching further research to determine exactly how microplastics might be weakening bones in living creatures.
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Microplastics—defined as particles smaller than 5 millimeters—are practically everywhere, thanks to the world's reliance on plastic and poor recycling rates. With only about 9% of the Earth's half-billion-tons-per-year plastic habit being recycled, the rest gradually erodes into micro- and nanoplastics that end up in our food, water, and even our bodies. While the long-term health consequences are still being mapped out, the mounting evidence suggests these invisible fragments may pose more than an environmental threat. Experts say the findings highlight how urgent it is to take the global plastic problem more seriously—not just for the sake of oceans and wildlife, but for the integrity of our own bones.
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