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Microplastics, Bone Weakening, Deformities, and Fracture Risk
Sam Garcia
November 06, 2025
Animal studies indicate a concerning link between microplastic exposure and various detrimental effects on bone health, including weakening, deformities, and an increased risk of fractures. These findings suggest potential implications for osteoporosis in humans.
Research on animals has demonstrated that exposure to microplastics can accelerate osteoclast senescence, a process that compromises the overall bone microstructure. This can lead to dysplasia, a pathological condition characterized by abnormal bone growth, resulting in weakened bones and deformities. Additionally, microplastic exposure in animal models has been associated with an increased risk of pathological fractures and, in some cases, stunted skeletal growth.
At a cellular level, microplastics have been shown to impair osteogenic processes and interfere with the function of bone marrow stem cells. They can also lead to an increase in osteoclasts, which are the cells responsible for bone resorption, consequently degrading bone tissue. In vitro studies using bone cell tissue further support these observations, revealing that microplastics can impair cell viability, hasten cellular aging, alter cell differentiation, and trigger inflammatory responses.
Worryingly, microplastics have been detected in various human tissues, including blood, the brain, the placenta, breast milk, and, significantly, within bone tissue itself. This presence in human bones underscores the potential for microplastics to have serious public health implications, particularly concerning osteoporosis and other metabolic bone disorders. The International Osteoporosis Foundation projects a 32% increase in osteoporosis-related fractures worldwide by 2050, and emerging research suggests that microplastics could be a contributing environmental factor to this anticipated rise.