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Invisible Threats of Microplastics as a New Frontier in Gerontology
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This mini-review synthesizes emerging evidence that microplastics — detected in human blood, lungs, brain, and placenta — trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic disruption that mirror and may accelerate biological aging processes. The findings position microplastic exposure as a potential driver of age-related diseases including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders.
Specifically, microplastics are defined as those particles that measure less than 5 millimeters in diameter. Certainly, microplastic particles are now present in the global environment. It has been observed that they are present in the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the food that we eat. Recent research studies revealed that microplastic particles are also present in the human body. Currently, new evidence has shown that microplastic particles are not only widespread but also responsible for causing various types of biological damage. The biological damage caused by microplastic particles includes oxidative stress, effects on cell energy metabolism, promotion of inflammation, and effects on the immune system, all of which are associated with aging. Recent research has identified that microplastic particles are present in various parts of the human body, including the placenta, blood, lungs, and brain. Furthermore, microplastics have been associated with causing various forms of age-related diseases, as well as neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic, and reproductive diseases. The aim of this mini-review is to summarize current knowledge regarding microplastics and aging while acknowledging existing knowledge gaps. Future research should focus on improving exposure assessment methods and conducting long-term human studies to better understand the potential role of microplastics in aging and age-related diseases.
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Invisible Threats: Ecophysiological Effects of Microplastics on Human Physiological and Neurological Systems
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Tiny plastic particles from our food, water, and air may be able to enter our bodies and even cross into the brain, where they could trigger inflammation linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, according to this review of existing research. Scientists still don't know exactly how much exposure is dangerous or what happens with long-term contact, but the early evidence is concerning enough to take seriously—especially since eating contaminated fish appears to be one major exposure route.
Nanoplastics: An emerging environmental concern in age-related diseases
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This review examines the growing body of evidence linking nanoplastics to aging and age-related conditions. Researchers found that nanoplastics can disrupt key molecular pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular damage that are central to the aging process. The study suggests that chronic nanoplastic exposure may accelerate biological aging, raising concerns about long-term health effects as environmental plastic pollution continues to increase.
Microplastics/nanoplastics contribute to aging and age-related diseases: Mitochondrial dysfunction as a crucial role
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This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics may contribute to aging and age-related conditions by damaging mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside cells. Researchers describe how these tiny plastic particles enter the body through food, water, and air, and accumulate in various organs where they can disrupt normal mitochondrial function. The study suggests that microplastic-driven mitochondrial damage could be an underappreciated factor in the aging process and related health decline.
Microplastics, the gut microbiome and ageing: mechanisms and intervention strategies.
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This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles we breathe, eat, and absorb through our skin may disrupt the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria living in our digestive system), which in turn can speed up aging and raise the risk of conditions like heart disease and brain decline. The particles seem to trigger inflammation and cellular damage that harm the body over time, though this paper doesn't present new experiments—it summarizes what scientists already know and suggests possible ways to reduce plastic exposure and its health effects. The takeaway: cutting down on microplastic exposure could be one more tool for supporting heal
Micro- and Nanoplastics Exposure Across the Lifespan: One Health Implications for Aging and Longevity
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Researchers reviewed evidence on micro- and nanoplastic exposure across the human lifespan through a One Health lens, finding that MNPs trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence—mechanisms central to aging—and that older adults face compounded risk from lifetime accumulation and diminished physiological resilience, though direct epidemiological data in this population remain sparse.
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