A major new review has linked ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – which includes everything from chips to protein bars – to rising rates of neurological disorders.
‘Ultra-processed foods… contain significantly higher concentrations of microplastics than whole foods.
‘Ultra-processed foods have been linked to adverse mental health through inflammation, oxidative stress, epigenetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disruptions to neurotransmitter systems.
In the new article, published in Brain Medicine, the authors reviewed studies that looked at the relationship between ultra-processed foods, microplastics and mental health.
Scientists think ultra-processed foods damage your gut, and that can in turn damage with your brain.
A common food found in 70% of American diets may be contributing to autism, dementia, and mental illness.
Ultra-processed foods, such as protein bars and chips, have been connected in a significant new review to an increase in neurological disorders.
According to researchers, microplastics, which are tiny plastic particles that are increasingly present in the human brain and in high concentrations inside UPFs, may be the hidden culprit.
According to studies, UPFs are particularly vulnerable to microplastics because contamination can happen when food is processed and packaged, which frequently involves using plastic containers and wrappers.
“We are witnessing accumulating evidence that should worry us all,” stated Dr. Nicholas Fabiano, co-lead author of the recently published paper from the University of Ottawa.
excessively processed foods. contain a notably greater amount of microplastics than whole foods.
These particles can pass through the blood-brain barrier and build up in dangerously high amounts, according to recent research. “…
UPFs and microplastics have “remarkable overlap” in their detrimental effects on mental health, according to Dr. Wolfgang Marx, another author of the paper from Deakin University’s Food and Mood Center.
He clarified: “We observe remarkable overlap in biological mechanisms, which makes this hypothesis particularly compelling.”.
Because of their effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, epigenetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neurotransmitter system disruption, ultra-processed foods have been connected to poor mental health.
Microplastics seem to function via strikingly similar mechanisms. “…
The authors reviewed research that examined the connection between microplastics, ultra-processed foods, and mental health in their recent paper, which was published in Brain Medicine.
The article included a recent study that was published in The British Medical Journal. UPF users were found to have a 22 percent increased risk of depression, a 48 percent increased risk of anxiety, and a 41 percent increased risk of poor sleep, all of which can lead to a series of negative health outcomes.
According to a different study, oxidative stress caused by microplastics and nanoplastics on the central nervous system may harm cells and make people more susceptible to neurological conditions.
The authors came to the conclusion that the high levels of microplastic contamination in ultra-processed foods may be the cause of their harmful effects on health after reviewing the available data.
According to scientists, eating highly processed foods can harm your gut, which can then harm your brain.
Because of this relationship, which is known as the gut-brain axis, your mood and mental health may suffer if your gut isn’t functioning properly.
These junk foods are also loaded with artificial sweeteners, which have been linked to hormone disruption and a disruption in the communication between brain cells, according to research.
Researchers warn that microplastics in the foods may damage brain development, cause inflammation, and interfere with mood and sleep, and they may also be connected to anxiety and depression.
According to a different study, researchers think that the microplastics in UPFs may also be contributing to an increase in dementia.
This week’s article review did not cover a study that was conducted earlier this year. It examined brain tissue from 54 autopsies and found that every brain contained microplastics, which are the mass of a plastic spoon.
When compared to people without dementia, the researchers discovered that those with dementia had up to ten times as many microplastics in their brain tissue.
The study indicates a link between the buildup of microplastics and neurological disorders, but it does not directly link the two. WHO SAYS?
Dementia rates have also risen, with cases predicted to nearly double by 2030, according to one of the study’s authors. Microplastic levels in the human brain have also increased by 50% in the last eight years.
The blood-brain barrier, a barrier that normally keeps dangerous substances out of the brain, can be penetrated by microplastics.
Once inside, these microscopic particles have the potential to cause neurological disorders by causing inflammation and interfering with neurological signaling.
Research on the direct effects of microplastics on human health is still ongoing, but studies on animals have revealed that exposure can cause behavioral abnormalities, memory loss, and decreased motor coordination.
According to a different 2022 study, those who consumed the most UPFs experienced a 25 percent faster decline in executive function and a 28 percent faster rate of overall cognitive impairment than those who consumed the least amount of processed food.
Scientists think that UPFs’ high sugar, salt, and fat content causes dangerous inflammation in the body, including the brain, which may impair memory and cognition.
One in thirty-one children in the United States suffers from autism, another neurological disorder that is on the rise and may be linked to microplastics in UPFs. Compared to one in 150 kids twenty years ago, this represents a sharp rise.
It has been suggested by researchers that UPFs may have an adverse effect on the gut microbiota, and children with autism frequently have an unbalanced microbiome.
Moreover, there is some evidence that UPFs can change gene expression, which can impact how the brain develops and functions.
Additionally, processed foods may contain elevated levels of heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, which may cause or worsen autism symptoms.
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Autism has no recognized cause.
Although some preliminary research has been done on the connection between microplastics and autism, scientists say more research is necessary because there is not enough data to make any firm conclusions.
The authors of the most recent article suggested the Dietary Microplastic Index (DMI) as a solution to the microplastic problem. a system that would measure the amount of microplastics that people are exposed to through their diet and evaluate the material’s content and accumulation risk based on the foods that people consume.
“We need to reduce our exposure to microplastics through better food choices and packaging alternatives, but we also need research into how to remove these particles from the human body,” stated Dr. Stefan Bornstein, the author of a peer-reviewed study on the topic. “.”.
According to his paper, apheresis is a process that may be able to rid the body of microplastics. Through this medical procedure, certain blood components—like plastics—are extracted from the body and the remaining components—like the blood’s constituent building blocks—are returned.
