Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are already the the leading cause of death worldwide—and the situation is only getting worse. The various types of CVD cause more than 17 million deaths annually; however, according to new research the growing omnipresence of microplastics in the world is exacerbating the number. Studies in 2011, 2019, 2023 and 2024 have already linked microplastics to CVD, but the new study adds a different twist with researchers highlighting how microplastics cause damage to the very cells that keep arteries healthy. Microplastics are tiny fragments of any type of plastic that is less than 5 mm (0.20 in) in length. Microplastics cause both environmental and bodily pollution by entering worldwide ecosystems from an endless variety of sources. "Endless variety" is not an exaggeration. Microplastics are in everything: cosmetics, clothing, food packaging (and food), industrial processes, automobiles and electronics. They're even in the water we drink and the air we breathe. As these microplastics end up inside your body, they don't just land in the stomach—they eventually enter the bloodstream and can even pass through the blood-brain barrier. According to a 2019 study by the University of Newcastle in Australia, the average person consumes around 5 grams of microplastics per week—about the size of a credit card. Notwithstanding Wikipedia's assertion that "the effects of microplastics are largely unknown," governmental archives such as PubMed.gov are literally teaming with studies pointing to a detrimental effect that microplastics inflict on the human body. And while the new study cannot be considered a smoking gun on its own, it certainly adds weight to the accumulated evidence of the past decade. Study details A research team at the University of California, Riverside utilized LDLR-deficient mice to gauge the increased risk of CVD when "realistic doses of microplastics" are consumed over time. LDLR stands for low density lipoprotein receptor, and mice that are deficient in LDLR are specially bred mice that are considered adequate models for studying CVD. To conduct the study, both male and female mice were placed on a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet similar to what a lean and healthy person might eat. The team then administered a realistic intake of microplastics each day for nine weeks. Since mice are small, the amount administered has to be relative to what the average human would ingest—determined to be 10 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. This amount reflects levels that could realistically be encountered through contaminated food and water, along with exposure to the modern environment. Findings The results showed a sharp increase in atherosclerosis—a type of CVD in which the wall of the artery develops abnormalities. Surprisingly, in this study the negative result only appeared in males. Male mice exposed to microplastics developed 63% more plaque in the aortic root, the segment of the aorta connected to the heart, and 624% more plaque in the brachiocephalic artery, a major vessel branching from the aorta in the upper chest. For an inexplicable reason, the female mice exposed to the same conditions did not show significant plaque progression—a discovery the researchers stated they hope to understand better in future studies. Importantly, the microplastics exposure did not cause weight gain or increased cholesterol in either sex. The mice stayed lean, and their lipid profiles remained unchanged. This finding indicates that traditional risk factors such as obesity or high cholesterol weren't the reason for heightened arterial damage—lending credence to the assertion that microplastics are the culprit. Notable discovery The study also showed that microplastics interfered with the function and makeup of cells lining the arteries. Using single-cell RNA sequencing—a process that identifies gene activity in individual cells—the researchers observed that microplastics altered several cell types involved in atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells were affected most dramatically. Critically, endothelial cells form the inner lining of blood vessels and help regulate inflammation and circulation. The fluorescent microplastics that the researchers used to conduct the study were found inside plaques and concentrated within the endothelial layer. This finding was consistent with earlier reports from human samples that have revealed microplastics in arterial lesions. The researchers observed that microplastics activated harmful gene pathways in the endothelial cells from both mice and humans. This included genes associated with plaque-promoting activity, suggesting that microplastics trigger similar biological responses across species. The study was published in Environment International in December 2025. - - - Sources for this article include: Environment International, Wikipedia-microplastics, PubMed.gov, Cleveland Clinic, University of California-Riverside, JustAPedia-endothelium. - - - Optimal Health Systems is tackling the growing microplastics problem head-on. First, we offer the unique PlasticTest to determine if you have microplastics in your bloodstream. From there, you have the option of providing your natural detox pathways the help they need with two powerful tools: the Plastic Detox Pak and Optimal ChemZyme. Click the links below to learn more.
