Microplastics Weaken Bones via Stem‑Cell Disruption

Updated: 2025.10.05 16D ago 2 sources
A review of 62 studies finds microplastics disrupt bone‑marrow stem cells and stimulate bone‑resorbing osteoclasts, degrading bone microstructure in animals. Lab work shows reduced cell viability, premature cellular aging, gene‑expression changes, and inflammatory responses that together raise fracture risk. — If microplastics impair skeletal health, regulators and clinicians must treat plastic exposure as a population‑level risk factor, not just an environmental nuisance.

Sources

First Evidence That Plastic Nanoparticles Can Accumulate in Edible Parts of Vegetables
EditorDavid 2025.10.05 40% relevant
While that idea focuses on health effects, this article identifies an upstream exposure route: University of Plymouth researchers show polystyrene nanoplastics bypass the Casparian strip and enter edible radish tissues, implying greater dietary microplastic exposure that could interact with the health mechanisms described.
Microplastics Could Be Weakening Your Bones, Research Suggests
msmash 2025.09.29 100% relevant
Osteoporosis International review summarized here, with Rodrigo Bueno de Oliveira noting interrupted skeletal growth in test animals.
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