Saad News: Scientists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona have warned that a tea bag can introduce billions of dangerous microplastics into your body.
According to the Family Magazine Service of Saad News, the microplastics found in tea bags are linked to health problems and increase the risk of cancer and infertility. This concern was raised today following a new study which showed that toxic microscopic particles are released by tea bags when immersed in hot water. Microplastics, found in a wide range of everyday items including food containers and pots, can infiltrate food and beverages, as well as the air we breathe. They then make their way deep into the body.
Tests have shown that high levels of microplastics exist in human breast milk, saliva, feces, and blood. Recently, experts from the University of California, San Francisco found that microscopic plastic particles in the air could be a factor in the increasing rate of colon cancer among young people.
Researchers reviewed data from 3,000 studies and found that after inhalation, microplastics can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and accumulate over time in organs. They referred to several studies indicating that exposure to microplastics can increase the risks of structural changes in the colon. A 2022 Chinese study showed that laboratory mice chronically exposed to microplastics had "significant colon disorders," such as damage to the colon walls.
Another study published the same year showed that exposure to microplastics caused the colon to produce less mucus, which forms a protective layer around the colon. Meanwhile, other research published earlier this year showed that cancer cells in the colon spread faster after contact with microplastics.
Tea Bags and Infertility
Experts have also raised concerns about the potential link between microplastics and reproductive health. Researchers warned that tiny plastic particles have been found in men's sperm. This plastic was a specific type used in plumbing pipes, and tests showed that sperm exposed to plastic exhibited lower motility, thus having less ability to fertilize eggs. Chinese researchers suggest this could be related to the globally observed decline in fertility rates. Meanwhile, scientists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona warned that a tea bag could introduce billions of dangerous microplastics into your body.
In their new study published in Chemosphere, the team investigated the microplastics released from three popular types of tea bags, which can easily be bought online or in local supermarkets. The first type was a nylon tea bag, ordered from Amazon. The second was a polypropylene tea bag, ordered from AliExpress. Finally, the third type was purchased from a supermarket but had an unknown polymer filter.
The team found that all three types released huge amounts of nano-sized particles in the water. Polypropylene tea bags were the worst, releasing around 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, with an average size of 136.7 nanometers. Meanwhile, nylon tea bags released 8.18 million particles per milliliter, with an average size of 13.8 nanometers. The researchers then stained the microplastics before exposing them to various types of human intestinal cells. They found that intestinal cells that produce mucus absorbed the most plastic. Humans can be exposed to plastic particles through food, drinking water, and air.
As a result, the researchers are calling for immediate studies on the effects of microplastics on the human body. They emphasize, 'Our findings contribute to a body of evidence on the pervasive nature of plastic pollution and its potential consequences for human health.'"
