Is your blood sugar rising despite diet correction? Blame it on microplastics

Here’s why you must stop use of plastics immediately

A study has suggested that a key chemical ingredient of plastic bottles (Bisphenol A- BPA) could aggravate insulin resistance. (File Photo/Pixabay)

India currently has more than 10 crore people with diabetes and over 13 crore people in the prediabetes stage. While these numbers have been linked to increasing obesity, diet and a sedentary lifestyle, a growing body of evidence suggests that contaminants/pollutants in our surroundings may be playing a role in this spike.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) refer to environmental pollutants that pose significant health risks. Their concentration is low, so short-term harmful effects are not discernible. However, these contaminants tend to accumulate in tissues and do not degrade easily. Ultimately, they reach a level where they can be detected by sophisticated measurement techniques but by that time the toxic effects are already in place.

Over 3,000 types of these emerging pollutants have been found in pharmaceutical factories, plastics, cleaning products, cosmetics, personal care products, beverages and packaging. Microplastics, plastic particles with a diameter of ≤5 mm, are one such group of contaminants. These enter our body through food or drinks. One study found that seafood, beer, table salt, bottled mineral water, and milk are the main pathways for microplastics to enter the human body.

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Microplastics accumulate within tissues and organs like the liver where they cause inflammation and lipid pileup, leading to metabolic changes and oxidative stress or cell damage. Microplastic exposure also alters the gut microbiota. All these factors lead to insulin resistance and eventually Type 2 diabetes.

A landmark study presented at the American Diabetes Association in June this year suggested that a key chemical ingredient of plastic bottles (Bisphenol A- BPA) could aggravate insulin resistance, leading to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In this study, the researchers assigned 40 healthy adults to either receive a placebo, or about 50 micrograms per kg body weight of BPA daily, a level considered safe by regulatory authorities. In four days, the BPA group developed resistance to insulin. BPA, which is used to make plastic and epoxy resins, is a known endocrine disruptor — a substance that alters and interferes with hormonal systems in the body. Notably, this effect occurred at approved ‘safe’ levels of BPA, suggesting that a revision of guidelines may be needed.

Also Read | India generates highest plastic pollution in world: what a new study found

Microplastic exposure has also been linked to development of diabetes in pregnancy or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The most clinching evidence of the harmful effects of micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) was found by a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March. The authors detected polyethylene (MNP) in carotid artery plaques of 150 patients (out of a total of 304 studied). Patients in whom MNPs were detected were at 4.5 times higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up.

In addition to the risk of micro and nano plastic exposure, plastic bottles exposed to sunlight release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can pose serious health risks.

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What does this mean for us? Most of us mindlessly consume water from plastic bottles. Start giving up this practice. In particular, do not drink water/liquids stored in plastic bottles exposed to the sun. Revert to using stainless steel if you want to reduce the risk of diabetes.

(Dr Mithal is chairman, endocrinology and diabetes, Max Healthcare)