Microplastics found to alter gut bacteria tied to cancer, depression in humans

Austrian researchers discovered that microplastics significantly alter human gut bacteria in ways that mirror patterns seen in depression and colorectal cancer patients. The study exposed gut bacteria cultures from healthy volunteers to five common types of microplastics, finding that the plastics increased gut acidity and changed the composition of key bacterial families responsible for digestion and gut health. These bacterial shifts also altered the production of important chemical compounds, suggesting microplastics may interfere with normal bacterial processes and create environments where harmful bacteria can thrive.