Microplastics Are Found in Every Human Testicles, And Not Just surroundings

There has been rising concern regarding the widespread pollution of seas and oceans,  various water bodies, and foods by microplastics. These tiny bits of plastic seem to be everywhere. It now appears that the situation is graver than imagined. Every new report suggests that things are far more alarming.

It is now evident that these non-biodegradable materials have made their way into so many things, including the human body. Not only that, they are also inside all the animal bodies.

Widespread pollution of the environment by microplastics helps explain the rise of many health issues. Certain disorders caused due to changes in homeostasis, metabolism, inflammation, and immune dysregulation have risen considerably. However, science is having difficulty explaining this rise.

So, just take an example of sudden upsurge in certain cancer types. The prevalence of these cancer types has risen even among those having more or less healthy lifestyles and body weight. 

Or just take the example of dementia. Science is having trouble explaining why this disorder, which was a rare condition just a century ago, has become the leading cause of death and disability. 

Yet, another thing threatening humanity is declining male fertility rates. It appears that in less than a century, male sperm count has halved. 

Science could guess that this is definitely due to certain environmental changes. However, the question remained: What kind of environmental changes are more likely to cause these issues? It now seems that these hidden enemies, that is, microplastics, could be one of the primary reasons for the rise of various chronic health disorders.

Microplastics Appear to Be a Bigger Health Threat Than Imagined Earlier

The new study published in the journal Toxicological Sciences found that microplastics were present in every testicle sample it analyzed.

As the technology improves, it is now possible to identify very small particles of microplastics. These particles are not visible to human eyes. Nonetheless, they are highly toxic. After all, they should not be there inside the body. Once inside the body, they cause inflammation, hormonal changes, cancers, organ failure, and much more.

In the study, researchers analyzed 47 canine and 23 human testes. The findings of the study were alarming. It could identify 12 different kinds of microplastics present in these samples. They were present in all the samples. The study also suggested that these microplastics inside the testes are associated with a decline in reproductive function. 

The researchers found that PE, PVC, and PET were some of the most common microplastics in human and canine testes. Further, the study suggested that this is having adverse consequences.

Researchers say that it is easy to imagine that these microplastics are not just present in every testicle. They are present in every heart, liver, kidneys, and more. They have become a continuous source of inflammation, causing disruption in organ function. At present, there is no known way to remove these plastics from the human body. 

Perhaps the only way to stop this epidemic is to reduce plastic use. It is not just about reducing its use by the food industry. Almost every industry would have to reduce plastic use. 

Plastic use started just about a century ago and is now everywhere. This explains the rise of certain health issues. It explains why certain rare disorders have become so common these days. Moreover, it is not difficult to see that the prevalence of many of these chronic health issues has increased along with plastic use.

Source:

Hu, C. J., Garcia, M. A., Nihart, A., Liu, R., Yin, L., Adolphi, N., Gallego, D. F., Kang, H., Campen, M. J., & Yu, X. (2024). Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis. Toxicological Sciences, kfae060. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfae060