Microplastics may disrupt bone remodeling and blood cell formation, potentially raising risk for osteoporosis and other bone disorders. Digest
The spread of microplastics through the environment has become a global concern, and growing evidence suggests that they may also pose serious risks to human health.
Microplastics, small particles measuring 5 millimeters or less, have been detected in various human tissues, including the brain, reproductive organs, and even bones. A new review in Osteoporosis International explored what these findings could mean for bone and bone marrow health, drawing on a range of studies involving cells, animals, and early human data.
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The findings across models tell a consistent story:
- Microplastics were found in human skeletal tissues, roughly 23 particles per gram in bone and more than twice that in spinal discs.
- Bone-building cells can absorb these particles, which appears to trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and signs of premature cell aging. These stressed cells produce more of the chemical signals that drive bone breakdown.
- In mice and rats, exposure through diet led to weaker bones, slower growth, and disrupted bone microarchitecture, particularly in growing animals.
- The bone marrow, where blood cells are formed, also showed damage. Exposed animals had fewer white blood cells and reduced capacity to generate new ones.
- Around prosthetic joints, plastic wear particles from implants provoked inflammation and local bone loss, changes that can lead to implant loosening.
Once inside the body, microplastics can travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system and accumulate in the skeleton. There, they may interfere with cellular processes essential to bone health. In particular, microplastics appear to disrupt bone remodeling, the continuous cycle of building and breaking down bone, by altering how bone-forming cells behave, steering them away from regeneration and toward inflammation, dysfunction, and tissue breakdown. The review also highlights a "gut–bone connection": changes in gut microbes caused by microplastics may disrupt bone marrow stem cells by altering key growth signals that help regulate bone formation. Together, these processes could weaken bone density, accelerate age-related bone loss, and contribute to conditions such as osteoporosis, slower fracture healing, or poor integration of bone implants, especially in individuals with existing skeletal or metabolic vulnerabilities.
While this research paints a concerning picture, the authors caution that most data come from lab and animal studies using higher doses than people are likely exposed to. Human data remain scarce, and scientists still do not know whether the plastic levels already found in human bones are high enough to cause harm. Learn how to reduce your microplastic exposure in episode #95.