Microplastics and nanoplastics—those tiny pieces of plastic that exist nearly everywhere- have now been found deep in the human body. More shockingly, a new study links these plastic particles to a heightened risk of heart attack, stroke, and other vascular diseases.
While microplastics in food and water are widely known to exist, this study indicates that they might be causing far greater damage than we could have possibly conceived.
How Microplastics Get Into Our Arteries
Microplastics May Be Lurking in Your Arteries—And Raising Your Risk
FlyD/Unsplash
Scientists at the University of New Mexico, under the guidance of vascular surgeon Dr. Ross Clark, studied arterial plaque samples in 48 individuals to investigate the unknown impact of microplastics on cardiovascular well-being. They targeted the carotid arteries, those critical neck blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.
What they discovered was surprising: plaque in diseased arteries had 16 times more microplastics than healthy arteries. In patients who had already experienced a stroke, mini-stroke, or vision loss, the plastic content in arterial plaque was 51 times greater than in healthy arteries.
Read more:
Top 5 Fitness Apps That Actually Work in 2025: Stay Fit in the Easiest Way Possible
What Are Microplastics Doing in There?
Even though it is not yet peer-reviewed, the paper includes a compelling theory. Immune cells react differently in plastic-saturated arterial environments.
One set of cells had disabled a gene that normally regulates inflammation, while stem cells that were engineered to be protective against strokes and heart attacks also exhibited atypical gene expression.
The issue? These genetic alterations could be caused by exposure to plastics, suggesting a possible interference with the body’s innate defense mechanisms. Dr. Clark said this is possibly the beginning of learning about how microplastics directly impact heart health.
Genetic Disruption is a Hidden Risk
According to Business Insider, the altered gene expression found in cells surrounded by microplastics suggests a deeper biological impact. Chronic inflammation is a well-known contributor to heart disease, and if plastics are disrupting gene activity responsible for managing inflammation, the risks become significantly more concerning.
Neuroscientist Jaime Ross, who evaluated the findings, was shocked.
“It’s very shocking to see 51 times higher,” she noted, adding that even a tripling is considered a huge red flag in scientific studies.
What’s Next in Microplastic Research?
Dr. Clark and his colleagues employed a high-temperature technique to scan for plastics in artery samples, taking pains to factor in the possibility of natural lipids mimicking plastic pieces. Undeterred by these obstacles, the researchers stand behind their results and are applying for additional grants to investigate this shocking link.
Future research will branch out into other areas and perform animal trials to further explain cause and effect. In the meantime, one thing is certain: microplastics are not only an environmental concern—they could be a silent assassin lurking in our bloodstream.
Related Article:
Brightly Colored Plastics Break Down Into Harmful Microplastics Faster Than Black, White, and Silver Ones, Study Finds
