People ingest microplastics from bottled water, seafood, table salt, and air. Microplastics form when larger plastic items break down. Microplastics have been detected in ovarian follicular fluid, with levels averaging over 2,000 particles per milliliter. Higher microplastic levels are associated with elevated follicle-stimulating hormone, which can indicate ovarian stress. Microplastics have also been found in the uterus lining, including polyethylene and polystyrene. Microplastics may enter the uterus through the bloodstream or the vaginal canal. Microplastics have been linked to PCOS, endometriosis, and obesity. Microplastics may suppress genes needed for testosterone production, potentially reducing libido.
"A 2021 study found you may be ingesting up to 5 grams of plastic every week. That's roughly equal to the weight of a plastic credit card. It's in your bottled water, your seafood, your table salt, and even the air you breathe. And now scientists are finding plastics inside the female reproductive system."
"Microplastics have been found in ovarian follicular fluid. This is the liquid that surrounds a woman's eggs as they grow and mature inside the ovaries. Even worse, the level of microplastics average over 2,000 particles per milliliter of fluid. That's a lot of plastic, right next to their eggs."
"The study that reported this also found a connection between higher microplastic levels and elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is a hormone produced in the brain that tells the ovaries to grow and release eggs. When FSH is elevated, it usually means the ovaries are struggling to produce eggs and the body is working harder to compensate."
"Microplastics have been linked to PCOS, endometriosis, and obesity. Microplastics can suppress the genes women need to produce testosterone, which can reduce libido."
Read at Psychology Today
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