Everyday microplastics could be fueling heart disease
Microplastics may be silently fueling heart disease by damaging the very cells that keep arteries healthy.
Date:November 18, 2025
Source:University of California - Riverside
Summary:Microplastics—tiny particles now found in food, water, air, and even human tissues—may directly accelerate artery-clogging disease, and new research shows the danger may be far greater for males. In mice, environmentally realistic doses of microplastics dramatically worsened plaque buildup, altered key vascular cells, and activated harmful genes linked to inflammation and atherosclerosis, all without changes to weight or cholesterol.
A research team at the University of California, Riverside has found that routine exposure to microplastics -- tiny pieces released from packaging, fabrics, and common consumer plastics -- may speed up the formation of atherosclerosis, the artery-narrowing condition associated with heart attacks and strokes. The effect appeared only in male mice, offering new insight into how microplastics may influence cardiovascular health in people.
"Our findings fit into a broader pattern seen in cardiovascular research, where males and females often respond differently," said lead researcher Changcheng Zhou, a professor of biomedical sciences in the UCR School of Medicine. "Although the precise mechanism isn't yet known, factors like sex chromosomes and hormones, particularly the protective effects of estrogen, may play a role."
Microplastics are found widely in the modern environment, including in food, drinking water, and the air. They have also been detected inside the human body. Recent clinical studies have identified microplastics in atherosclerotic plaques and associated higher concentrations with elevated cardiovascular risk, although it was not clear whether these particles directly cause arterial injury.
"It's nearly impossible to avoid microplastics completely," Zhou said. "Still, the best strategy is to reduce exposure by limiting plastic use in food and water containers, reducing single-use plastics, and avoiding highly-processed foods. There are currently no effective ways to remove microplastics from the body, so minimizing exposure and maintaining overall cardiovascular health -- through diet, exercise, and managing risk factors -- remains essential."
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