Welcome to Chi-research

A weekly publication by ProCredits reviewing current research associated with the Chiropractic profession. In this week’s article, we are reviewing a 2024 paper from The New England Journal of Medicine on the presence of Microplastics and Nanoplastics (MNPs) in carotid artery plaque.

Microplastics and Nanoplastics

Microplastics are plastic pieces that measure less than 5mm and nanoplastics are even smaller, ranging between 1nm and 1 µm across, and are everywhere. Some have formed by breaking away from larger plastics that have fragmented over time, while others are intentionally made small to use in cosmetics, detergents, paints, medicines, pesticides, and the list goes on. Exposure to these MNPs can lead to health effects through oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, altered biochemical and energy metabolism, impaired cell proliferation, disrupted microbial metabolic pathways, abnormal organ development, and carcinogenicity. Now we have learned that they are even in the fatty deposits that can build up in the arteries and cause heart disease and strokes.

In the latest study, Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events, 304 patients underwent carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease. The excised carotid plaque specimens were analyzed for the presence of MNPs using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy. Inflammatory biomarkers were also assessed.

Polyethylene was detected in carotid artery plaque in 58.4% of patients, while 31% of patients also had polyvinyl chloride in the plaque. Electron microscopy revealed visible, jagged-edged foreign particles among plaque macrophages and scattered in the external debris; these particles also contained chloride. The researchers also discovered more inflammatory markers in the blood of patients with higher levels of microplastics.

While these plastics are concerning, the most astounding finding is that in a 34-month follow-up, the rate of heart attack, stroke, and death was four-and-a-half times higher in people with microplastic and inflammatory markers than those without.

How are these plastics entering the human body and how can we get rid of them?

Many studies have shown that humans are constantly exposed to Microplastics and Nanoplastics through cosmetics, inhalation, skin exposure, food sources, water, and even salt consumption. They have been found in the placenta, lungs, liver, breast milk, urine, blood, and now plaque.

Healthy eating, drinking filtered water, reducing artificial cosmetic exposure, and avoiding certain processed and sea salts will help reduce our exposure to MNPs. However, MNPs are extremely persistent, which means it is almost impossible to remove them from the environment where they accumulate. Therefore, avoiding them entirely may be insurmountable, but what if we can reduce the amount we absorb?

Studies show that gut dysbiosis and leaky gut syndrome can increase the amount of absorption of these MNPs into our blood due to the increased permeability of the intestinal wall. Therefore, adding a gut-healthy regimen to our lifestyle is necessary when combatting MNPs. This can be achieved by eliminating processed and inflammatory-causing foods from our diet, reducing alcohol consumption and smoking, eliminating chemically based cosmetics, as well as consuming probiotics, glycine, and glutamine.

Decrease the risk of Microplastics and Nanoplastics toxicity

ProCredits offers many nutrition courses approved for Chiropractic CEUs on our on-demand platform designed to give you knowledge on how to diagnose and treat dysbiosis and leaky gut, which will help to decrease your risk of Microplastics and Nanoplastics toxicity.

Check out these courses below:

1. Food and Inflammation
2. The Consequences of Leaky Gut
3. The Consequences of Dysbiosis

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