https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Microplastics appear capable of significantly impairing the function of phagocytes in the liver, at least in mice. In turn, this disrupts the metabolism of this vital organ and increases the build-up of fat inside it. These key findings from a joint German-Austrian study led by the University of Bonn, have now been published in the journal Nature Metabolism. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-microplastics-clog-liver-immune-cells.html Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:00:06 EDT news709913881 People with lung cancer are more likely to have microplastics in their lungs and to have larger quantities of microplastics in their lungs, according to research that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-patients-lung-cancer-microplastic-lungs.html Thu, 03 Sep 2026 18:10:02 EDT news707573882 Prenatal exposure to certain insecticides used in agriculture does not appear to be linked to social communication problems and other traits related to autism, a new study shows. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-pesticide-exposure-social-difficulties-common.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 11:00:05 EDT news706535101 Endocrine disruptors are compounds capable of altering the production, transport, metabolism or action of hormones. They are found in various everyday products, such as plastic containers, the inner linings of cans, food packaging, some cosmetics and synthetic fabrics, among others. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-hormonedisrupting-chemicals-everyday-products-affect.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:40:10 EDT news706272482 Microplastics have become nearly impossible to avoid. They have been detected in oceans, drinking water and even the human body, but scientists are still uncovering how they affect human health. Now, researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have uncovered evidence that one of the world's most common plastics may do more than pollute the environment. Their findings suggest that polyethylene may contribute to fatty liver disease and worsen the condition when combined with an unhealthy diet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-everyday-packaging-plastic-compound-fatty.html Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:40:01 EDT news705030100 In the 1970s, PVC bags revolutionized the storage of blood and blood products for transfusion. Disposable plastic (PVC) bags replaced reusable glass bottles, making the process more convenient and safer from contamination. Over half a century later, the same disposable plastic bags are creating a new kind of problem because of microplastics (MPs). These tiny particles, less than 5 millimeters in size, are formed by the polymer degradation of plastic materials as they break down and age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-common-blood-storage-bags-leach.html Thu, 06 Aug 2026 08:40:01 EDT news705224279 Two international critical reviews of the testing and legal framework for lip cosmetic products have identified significant blind spots in ingestion rate data, tissue testing types and ingredients used in products. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-experts-global-lip-cosmetics.html Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:00:05 EDT news705124381 Tiny, near-invisible fragments of plastic shed from the products we use every day through sunlight and mechanical wear have been quietly working their way deep into the human body. Microplastics have already been found in the human brain, semen and even the placenta. A recent study investigated how these micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) might move through the placenta and whether they affect a baby's development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-microplastics-placenta-barrier-disrupt-key.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:20:04 EDT news705055580 People who suffered a serious heart attack had higher levels of micro- and nanoplastics in their blood compared with patients diagnosed with chronic ischemic heart disease and those with normal blood vessels supplying the heart, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal on Wednesday. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-patients-heart-micro-nanoplastic-blood.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:00:01 EDT news703172912 You've already inhaled thousands of microscopic particles today. Some will be dust, pollen or soot, and some will be plastic. Microplastics—tiny fragments shed from clothes, tires or packaging—have been found pretty much everywhere. They're in oceans, soils, wildlife, remote mountaintops, deep-sea trenches and the atmosphere. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-microplastic-dont.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:40:03 EDT news703252381 Microplastics—minuscule pieces of plastic broken down from larger plastic waste—are a growing concern for human health, especially for the liver. A study from the University of Oklahoma, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that a common type of microplastic is particularly harmful to the liver under high-fat dietary conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-microplastics-worsen-fatty-liver-disease.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:00:01 EDT news700994461 Microplastics have been mapped deep within the tissue of living organisms in fine detail in a new study involving Kingston University London. The study, published in Advanced Science, shows noninvasive methods can be used to detect microplastics deep in the living tissue of mice. Previously, this was possible only through dissection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-microplastics-tissue-fine-months.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:40:01 EDT news700734242 Microplastics (MP) are the subject of intensive medical research, but little is yet known about their effects on the immune system. A study led by the Medical University of Vienna now shows that tiny particles of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) remain in the lungs of mice, can exacerbate respiratory tract inflammation and alter the immune responses associated with allergies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-microplastics-allergy-immune-responses-days.html Sun, 31 May 2026 15:00:04 EDT news699263331 Tiny micro- and nanoplastic fragments seem to be turning up everywhere, including one of the most well-protected parts of the human body—the brain. In a recent study conducted by Chinese researchers, they found microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in nearly all the brain samples they tested, both healthy and diseased human brains. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-microplastics-human-brain-sample-healthy.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:10:01 EDT news696519053 There is considerable evidence that microplastics and nanoplastics are present in the livers of humans, and wild animal populations on land and in the ocean. Now experts in environmental and human health are investigating whether the presence of these tiny plastic particles in the liver is driving disease and directly contributing to the soaring global rates of liver disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-microplastics-human-liver-fueling-global.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:00:02 EDT news696176874 In a new study, orthodontics researchers at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine recently discovered how synthetic polymers, including clear aligners, retainers and sleep devices, may affect the immune system. Thikriat Al-Jewair, DDS, L.B. Badgero Endowed Chair and associate professor, and Stephen Warunek, DDS, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Orthodontics, collaborated with medical researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute to explore how plastic orthodontic devices could affect the oral cavity and the overall health of users. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-orthodontics-microplastics-effect-immune.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:09 EDT news694168947 Small fragments of plastic were found in 9 out of 10 patients with prostate cancer, and in higher levels inside tumors than in nearby noncancerous tissue, a new study finds. The small, single-center study was led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and its Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards. It explored the potential role of plastic exposure in the development of prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer among American men, according to the American Cancer Society. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-microplastics-prostate-tumors.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:00:05 EST news690813154 Breathing in microplastics can cause inflammation and damage to the lungs, potentially increasing the risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer, new research suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-inhaled-microplastics-lung-health.html Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:38:58 EST news690543481 An international team of researchers, led by the University of Queensland and Imperial College London, has proposed a new framework for scientists detecting and measuring microplastics in the human body. Thirty scientists from 20 institutions have proposed the new forensic-style protocol and urge careful interpretation of recent reports about the presence of microplastics in human tissues. The study is published in the journal Environment & Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-confidence-standards-microplastics-human-body.html Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:00:11 EST news688733911 A research team led by the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna has investigated a possible link between the rising number of people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease and the increasing exposure to micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). The research shows that plastic particles influence the immune cells and the intestinal microbiome and can thus increase inflammation. The results were recently published in the journal Microplastics and Nanoplastics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-plastic-particles-intestinal-inflammation.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:52:57 EST news687088321 The public is starting to understand that they can find microplastics in their food, particularly seafood, but exposure from other foods is far more common than most people realize. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-foods-microplastics-amount-consume.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:06:38 EST news687013561 A study led by biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has shown for the first time that a father's exposure to microplastics (MPs) can trigger metabolic dysfunctions in his offspring. The research, conducted using mouse models, highlights a previously unknown pathway through which environmental pollutants impact the health of future generations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-fathers-microplastics-exposure-children-metabolic.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:38:42 EST news685726682 Microplastics could be fueling neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, with a new study highlighting five ways microplastics can trigger inflammation and damage in the brain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-ways-microplastics-brain.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:30:58 EST news684152982 A mouse study led by University of California, Riverside, biomedical scientists suggests that everyday exposure to microplastics—tiny fragments shed from packaging, clothing, and countless plastic products—may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis, the artery-clogging process that leads to heart attacks and strokes. The harmful effects were seen only in male mice, offering new clues about how microplastics may affect cardiovascular health in humans. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-mouse-link-microplastic-exposure-atherosclerosis.html Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:15:04 EST news682701301 New research presented at UEG Week 2025 shows that microplastics—plastic particles smaller than 5 mm commonly found in the environment—can alter the human gut microbiome, with some changes resembling patterns linked to depression and colorectal cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-microplastics-gut-microbiome-human-sample.html Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:33:50 EDT news679048425 Microplastics have found their way deep inside our bones, brains, and even babies. A UK study found that 100% of all 155 hot and cold beverage samples tested contained synthetic plastic particles. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-uk-microplastics-beverages-exposure.html Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:20:07 EDT news677931129 The production and use of over 400 million tons of plastic each year has polluted beaches, rivers, and even the deepest parts of the ocean, reaching depths of up to 11,000 meters. In addition to visible environmental impacts, plastic contributes to climate change. It is estimated that plastic production generates 1.8 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year. Scientific evidence also suggests that using plastic materials in everyday life has impacted human health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-microplastics-linked-impaired-bone-health.html Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:47:04 EDT news677432821 Micro- and nanoplastics prevalent in the environment routinely enter the human body through the water we drink, foods we eat, and even the air we breathe. Those plastic particles infiltrate all systems of the body, including the brain, where they can accumulate and trigger Alzheimer's-like conditions, according to a new study by researchers in the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-microplastic-exposure-linked-alzheimer-disease.html Wed, 10 Sep 2025 14:21:05 EDT news676732862 A research team revealed that microplastics introduced into the body may bind to proteins in vivo, disrupt the function of brain cells, and act as neurotoxicants. Based on proteomics analysis, the study precisely demonstrated how microplastics bound to proteins alter biological properties in the body and cause inflammatory responses and cellular function disruptions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-protein-bound-microplastics-disrupt-brain.html Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:54:35 EDT news674394871 Tiny shards of plastic called microplastics have been detected accumulating in human brains, but there is not yet enough evidence to say whether this is doing us harm, experts have said. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-microplastics-brains.html Fri, 01 Aug 2025 04:35:10 EDT news673241701