Do Microplastics Stunt Growth?

⚕️ MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen, diet, or supplement use, especially if you have existing medical conditions or take medications. The information presented here should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

There are several animal and cell-based studies that potentially suggesting that microplastics stunt growth. Microplastics have been found in fetal tissue, which could be disrupting hormones, damaging growing bones, and potentially impairing development across childhood and adolescence. 

The Risk Begins in the Womb

Microplastics have been found in placentas, umbilical cord blood, and even fetal tissues. This means they are capable of crossing the placental barrier, which is supposed to protect the developing fetus from toxins, while also providing nutrients [2,12]. Studies have shown that plastic exposure in the placenta correlates with altered gestational duration, lower birthweight, and growth restriction in newborns [2,13].

A newly published study out of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University found that higher microplastic exposure was correlated with an average decrease in newborn weight by 107.7 grams, or roughly 0.25 pounds [24]. This same study showed that male newborns were more susceptible to this effect. While the researching is still emerging, it provides a mechanism to suggest microplastics could stunt growth. 

In animal studies, maternal exposure to polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate nanoplastics has been shown to disrupt embryonic development, impair placental function, and induce endoplasmic reticulum stress [6,13]. These stress responses interfere with fetal nutrient transport and cellular differentiation. Interfering with these processes can impact organ and tissue development.

Besides animal studies, in humans, microplastics have been linked to premature birth, smaller fetal size, and developmental abnormalities. However, more research is needed to understand the full scope of the impact.

Microplastics May Be Disrupting Growth Hormones and Puberty

During childhood and adolescence, hormones play a role in influencing height and muscle mass to fat distribution and reproductive function. Many studies have shown that microplastics can bind to and transport endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as phthalates, bisphenol A, and other polymer additives. These EDCs have been well-studied, and they can mimic or block natural hormones and derail the finely tuned endocrine system [4,5,10].

Studies in animal models show that long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics reduces circulating testosterone by activating oxidative stress pathways and apoptosis in Leydig cells. Leydig cells produce sex hormones [11]. Consequently, when Leydig cells are experiencing stress, normal hormone production is impacted. Other scientific findings show that microplastics weaken the blood-testis barrier, a critical structure that protects developing sperm cells from immune attack and toxicants [17–20]. 

Even in females, disrupted hormone signaling from early plastic exposure may delay puberty, disturb ovarian development, or affect menstruation later in life. 

How Microplastics Impact Bones, Muscles, and Structural Growth

Skeletal development may also be impacted by microplastics. Research shows that polystyrene microplastics impair bone growth by accelerating senescence in osteoblasts. Senescence is known as accelerated cellular aging, so by further accelerating this process, microplastics influence how fast cells age. Osteoblasts are the cells that create the bone matrix [1,8]. As a result, the microplastic-induced, prematurely aged cells leads to reduced bone density, delayed growth plate expansion, and increased risk for fractures during adolescence.

A study published in late 2025 by Malik et. al found that polystyrene microplastics can limit bone growth by down-regulating expression of the gene Runx2 by 42% [25]. Runx2 is essential for mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into bone-forming osteoblasts. In layman’s terms, it’s required for the body’s stem cells to turn into bone-producing cells. 

Microplastics may also interfere with protein synthesis and mitochondrial metabolism in muscle cells. That means even if nutrition is sufficient, the body may not properly convert it into usable tissue mass [16]. This is especially problematic during puberty, when rapid gains in lean mass are critical for lifelong metabolic health.

Microplastics, Gut Microbiota, and the Growth Connection

It’s easy to forget that growth and development is highly dependent on proper digestion and nutrient absorption. Moreover, a healthy, properly functioning gut microbiome is essential for adequate digestion and nutrient absorption. Additionally, the gut microbiome plays a central role in regulating the gut-brain-growth axis. Unfortunately, microplastics disrupt this relationship in multiple ways.

Microplastics can alter microbial composition, reduce diversity, and impair the production of key short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids are molecules that regulate immune development, hormone signaling, and metabolic efficiency [4,14,15]. Disrupting this results in malabsorption of nutrients, inflammation of the gut lining, and impaired signaling to the hypothalamus, which governs hunger, growth hormone release, and energy allocation.

This kind of systemic interference with growth pathways can leave children, and young adults, more vulnerable to developmental delays, even when diet and lifestyle appear healthy on the surface. Moreover, for adults, this may mean that their nutrient intake is disrupted, as seen in animals and even plants. 

What We Still Don’t Know About How Microplastics Stunt Growth

Long-term, human-based studies looking into how microplastics affect height, weight, and developmental milestones are lacking. Most current studies are based on short-term animal models, which can’t fully capture the effects of chronic, low-dose exposure over decades [8].

We also don’t yet understand how genetics, sex, diet, and underlying health conditions interact with microplastic exposure. These factors may influence how we respond to and manage microplastic exposure.

What Can I Do To Reduce My Exposure To Microplastics? 

Although you’re probably well-past worrying about the impact of microplastics on your growth and development, you’re probably still concerned about the potential effects of microplastics on your health. It can feel overwhelming when you imagine all the ways that you’re exposed to microplastics and their impact on you. Despite this, there are many simple, small steps that you take that, over time, will compound into intaking fewer microplastics and supporting overall wellness. This is why we developed the Deplasto platform. 

Our platform, consisting of a natural supplement, a microplastic intake app, and lifestyle recommendations is intended to help you avoid microplastics. Our science-backed supplement is formulated to support your body’s natural detoxification defenses, including oxidative stress management, cellular repair, and antioxidant support. Our microplastic intake app is designed to show you an estimate of your daily exposure, with every datapoint backed by scientific studies, to help you understand how you can best avoid microplastics. Lastly, given that it’s nearly impossible to completely avoid microplastic exposure, we have a plethora of lifestyle recommendations designed to help you make small changes for big impacts. 

Overall, we believe that the best way to eliminate microplastics begins with you and the changes you make to your daily life. Over time, collectively, we can make a significant difference. 

Sources

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2. Impact of Microplastics on Pregnancy and Fetal Development- A Systematic Review 
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4. Effects of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Microplastic Particles on Gut Microbiota Composition and Health Status in Rabbit Livestock 
5. Health Effects of Microplastic Exposures- Current Issues and Perspectives in South Korea 
6. Disruption of early embryonic development in mice by polymethylmethacrylate nanoplastics in an oxidative stress mechanism
7. Microplastics and additives in patients with preterm birth- The first evidence of their presence in both human amniotic fluid and placenta 
8. Molecular and Cellular Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics- Focus on Inflammation and Senescence
9. Effects of microplastics, pesticides and nano-materials on fish health, oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanism
10. Microplastic and human health with focus on pediatric well-being- a comprehensive review and call for future studies
11. Chronic Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure Reduces Testosterone Levels in Mice through Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress and BAX_BCL2-Mediated Apoptosis
12. Microplastics in maternal blood, fetal appendages, and umbilical vein blood
13. Microplastics caused embryonic growth retardation and placental dysfunction in pregnant mice by activating GRP78_IRE1α_JNK axis induced apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress 
14. Impact of Microplastic Exposure on Blood Glucose Levels and Gut Microbiota- Differential Effects under Normal or High-Fat Diet Conditions
15. Mind over Microplastics- Exploring Microplastic-Induced Gut Disruption and Gut-Brain-Axis Consequences
16. Microplastic exposure disturbs sleep structure, reduces lifespan, and decreases ovary size in Drosophila melanogaster 
17. Association of mixed exposure to microplastics with sperm dysfunction- a multi-site study in China 
18. Effects of micro(nano)plastics on the reproductive system- A review  
19. First Report on Microplastics Quantification in Poultry Chicken and Potential Human Health Risks in Pakistan 
20. Gut microbiota combined with metabolome dissects long-term nanoplastics exposure-induced disturbed spermatogenesis 
21. A critical review of microplastics toxicity and potential adverse outcome pathway in human gastrointestinal tract following oral exposure 
22. Coexposure to microplastic and Bisphenol A exacerbates damage to human kidney proximal tubular cells
23. Examining the Relationship Between Polystyrene Microplastics and Male Fertility- Insights From an In Vivo Study and In Vitro Sertoli Cell Culture
24. Ying Shen, Yifan Ning, Fangyuan Chen, Xiaoyan Wang, Dongming Zheng, Yanli Sun, Xiaowen Zhang, Xue Zhang, Impact of placental microplastics on birth anthropometrics: A cross-sectional study, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Volume 309, 2026, 119572, ISSN 0147-6513, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.119572
25. Huo C, et al. Polystyrene microplastics induce injury to the vascular endothelial through NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. Environ Toxicol. 2024;39(11):5086–98.