The #1 Obstacle To Living Longer: Microplastic??
Hi and happy Tuesday! Here is this week’s longevity news - this time all about microplastic.
Microplastics hinder plant photosynthesis, study finds. The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesise, according to a new assessment. The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles. It could get even worse, the scientists said, as more microplastics pour into the environment. About 700 million people were affected by hunger in 2022. The researchers estimated that microplastic pollution could increase the number at risk of starvation by another 400 million in the next two decades, calling that an “alarming scenario” for global food security.
How Much Plastic Are You Breathing? Scientists Issue Urgent Warning. A new study reveals that microscopic plastic pollutants in the air are accumulating in the lungs of birds. Birds were selected for the research because they inhabit nearly every region of the world and frequently share environments with humans. The study found high concentrations of microplastics in bird lungs, with an average of 416 particles per gram of lung tissue. The most common types identified were chlorinated polyethylene, used for insulating pipes and wires, and butadiene rubber, a synthetic material in tires.
Chewing Gum Releases Thousands of Microplastics Into Our Saliva, Researchers Find. They found that chewing gum released an average of 100 microplastics per gram of gum, and that 94% of the total microplastics documented in the study were released during the first eight minutes of chewing. The release of microplastics is the result of the abrasive mechanics of chewing, which detaches the particles from the gum, rather than from the saliva breaking them down. There was no difference between synthetic and natural gum.
Researchers make gut-wrenching discovery after studying rainwater around the world. Scientists have observed plastic-tainted rain falling in China, India, wilderness areas in the Western United States, and even remote mountain ranges in France, signaling it's a widespread issue. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, have also been found in rainwater in numerous places. This rain ends up in waterways that connect to city water systems, and since
most treatment plants do not remove all microplastics, it's likely getting into drinking water in many locations.
What’s next?
Next week I will tell you about the importance of B vitamins. And a week later, I will show you my B vitamin results.
For any new readers: I am trying to live to (at least) 151. To get there, I follow 2 main principles:
Live a super-healthy life (based on what science deems positive for longevity)
Measure what’s going on in my body and tune any metrics that are off to become optimal
I also summarize interesting news and stories from the longevity space. And I share everything worth sharing with you.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, I would be very grateful if you gave it a ‘like’ (the ❤️ at the top).
Have a good day,
Johan
Here is an overview of all the tests I have taken so far: