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Abstract
The review identifies 4 interconnected pathways by which dietary microplastic ingestion may threaten human nutritional health.
- Microplastics can induce changes in gut bacteria, which may disrupt energy extraction from food.
- Ingestion of microplastics is associated with a compromised gut barrier, potentially leading to increased toxins in the bloodstream.
- The presence of microplastics may impair the body's ability to absorb essential nutrients.
- Microplastics could influence appetite regulation through connections between the gut and the brain.
- These negative impacts are heightened by Western diets and early-life exposure to microplastics.
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