New studies suggest that plastic particles are influencing human blood pressure, a condition linked to serious cardiovascular problems.

Results of the study were published in the journal ‘Micro plastics’. According to Dr. Johanna Fischer from the Department of Medicine at Danube Private University in Austria, a few recent findings have sparked new debates about what happens when microplastics flow through our bloodstream.

Microplastics measure less than 5 mm, arising from the breakdown of larger plastics or from everyday sources like car tires and synthetic clothing. They have been detected in food, water, and the air.

Scientists have identified them in the placenta, in certain organs, and even in the bloodstream. Recent work has pointed to an unexpected culprit for high blood pressure. Their investigations indicate that common water bottles can release particles into the liquid we drink.

According to preliminary insights, microplastics can migrate into our system, with potential effects on blood pressure measurements. Eight healthy adults took part in a project aimed at exploring any links between plastics and blood pressure.

They were asked to rely on tap water instead of bottled drinks for about a month. Blood pressure readings were collected at the outset, after two weeks, and at the end of four weeks.

The findings indicated that women showed a noticeable dip in blood pressure levels, particularly in diastolic readings, while men did not exhibit the same changes.