A common food found in 70% of American diets may be fueling mental illness, dementia and autism.
A major new review has linked highly processed foods (UPFs) – which include everything from chips to protein bars – to increased cases of neurological disorders.
Researchers believe the hidden culprits may be microplastics – microscopic plastic particles that are already being found at alarming levels within these foods… and increasingly, in the human brain.
Studies have shown that highly processed foods are more susceptible to microplastic contamination due to industrial processing and plastic packaging.
Dr. Nicholas Fabiano, from the University of Ottawa, co-author of the new study, said:
“We are seeing converging evidence from different fields that should concern us all. Highly processed foods contain significantly higher amounts of microplastics than unprocessed foods. Recent studies show that these particles can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in alarming amounts.”
Dr. Wolfgang Marx, from the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University, added:
“There is a striking overlap in how processed foods and microplastics harm mental health.”
He explained that these impacts occur through:
inflammation,
oxidative stress,
epigenetic changes,
mitochondrial damage,
disorders in neurotransmitter systems.
What did the scientific summary reveal?
The study, published in the journal Brain Medicine, reviewed studies linking highly processed foods, microplastics and mental health.
A British Medical Journal study included in the article showed that UPF consumers had:
22% higher risk of depression,
48% higher risk for anxiety,
41% higher risk of sleep disorders – which themselves negatively impact overall health.
Another study showed that microplastics and nanoplastics cause oxidative stress in the central nervous system, which can damage cells and increase the risk of neurological diseases.
How are the brain, gut, and food connected?
Researchers emphasize the importance of the gut-brain axis, which shows that damage to the digestive system directly affects mental and emotional state.
UPFs contain artificial sweeteners, which can disrupt communication between brain cells and disrupt hormones.
Microplastics can:
harm brain development,
promote inflammation,
they disrupt sleep and mood.
The connection with dementia and autism
Another study from early 2024 analyzed the brains of 54 individuals after death and found microplastics in each brain – in quantities equivalent to a plastic spoon.
People with dementia had up to 10 times more microplastics in their brains than those without dementia.
While this study did not prove a direct link, it raises the alarm about the possible link between microplastics and neurological disorders.
Another study from 2022 showed that those who ate more UPF had:
25% faster decline in executive functions,
28% faster decline in overall cognitive function, compared to those who ate less processed food.
Are these related to the increase in autism cases?
Autism, which currently affects 1 in 31 children in the US, has increased significantly compared to 1 in 150 children two decades ago.
Researchers believe that UPFs may damage the gut microbiome, which is often dysregulated in children with autism.
There is also evidence that these foods can alter gene expression, affecting brain development and function.
Furthermore, they often contain heavy metals like mercury and lead, which can contribute to or worsen autism symptoms.
The causes of autism are not known for sure, and the link to microplastics has not been conclusively proven – more research is needed.
Proposed solution: Dietary Microplastics Index (DMI)
The authors propose the creation of the Dietary Microplastics Index (DMI) – a system that would:
measure exposure to microplastics through food,
assess the risk of their accumulation in the body, based on what we consume.
Can we remove microplastics from the body?
Dr. Stefan Bornstein, author of a peer-reviewed article on the topic, says that in addition to reducing exposure through diet and packaging, research is needed to find ways to remove microplastics from the body.
He suggests apheresis, a medical procedure that filters the blood to remove unwanted substances – in this case, microplastics – and returns other blood components to the body. /Express newspaper/
edition
t7 live
