b'HEALTH BITS & PIECES Microplastics Consumedin FoodBy Dan Kenner, Ph.D., LAc Microplastics in food are a potential Neither Health Freedom News nor I are suggestingpublic health problem. Plastic nanoparti-that any such medical care or treatment cles have been found in several foods, but be conducted without competentmedical advice and supervision. until recently no data has been reported for the edible vegetables and fruits. Re-search from the University of Catania in Italy measured the number of microplas-tics below 10m per gram. Specifically, apples were the most contaminated fruit samples, while carrots were the most con-taminated among vegetables. For apples, the average was 195,500 microplastics per gram, and for carrots 101,950 microplas-tics per gram. Another recent research study has detected microplastics in hu-mans. In Beijing, China, the food and fluid intake of 24 young male students was monitored for three days. Fecal analysis revealed the presence of microplastics in 23 of the subjects. Polypropylene plastics Substituting Food for Statinsportfolio. In a multicenter trial conduct- were found to be the most abundant. Re-Clinical evidence indicates that foodsed in Canada over six months 335 partici- searchers in the Chinese study observed a with plant sterols or stanols can lowerpants had their levels of LDL-C decreasemoderate correlation between water and serum levels of low-density lipoproteinby 13% to 14% overall and even morebeverage consumption and microplastic (LDL) cholesterol. A case series from theon the West Coast had theirs decreaseabundance.UniversityofChicagounderscorestheat 20%. Plant sterols were considered to valueofplantsterolsupplementsforbe a major reason for the dietary portfo-managingelevatedcholesterolinsta- lios LDL-Creducing effect, since a re-tin-intolerant patients who are at mod- duction of 10% to 15% can be observed erate to high risk for cardiovascular dis- with a plant sterol intake of two grams ease. A meta-analysis of 41 clinical trialsper day. When combined with other di-showed that intake of two grams per dayetary factors, plant sterols appear to play of stanols or sterols reduced low-densi- a significant role in maintaining healthy ty lipoprotein by 10%. The review sum- cholesterollevels.Accordingtothe marized recent findings of 31 experts inCleveland Clinic, the average daily con-the field who participated in a scientificsumption of phytosterols from a typical meetinginWinnipeg,Canada,onthediet is less than 0.5 gram. healtheffectsofplantsterolsandsta- Lloyd-Jones D, Morris P, Ballantyne C, et al., nols. Conference participants discussed2016 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway various aspects of the health effects ofon the Role of Non-Statin Therapies for LDL-Cho-plant sterols, including their efficacy inlesterol Lowering in the Management of Athero-LDL-cholesterol lowering, and as an ad- sclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Report of junct to treatment with diet and drugs.the American College of Cardiology Task Force on Their effects are additive with diet, andClinical Expert Consensus Documents, Journal intensify the effect of statin drugs. of the American College of Cardiology 2016, Dietrecommendationsapprovedby68(1):92-125,doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2016.03.519;Conti G, Ferrante M, Banni M, et al., Micro- the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationJones P, Shamloo M, MacKay D, et al., Progressand nano-plastics in edible fruit and vegeta-(FDA) for cholesterol lowering used inand perspectives in plant sterol and plant stanolbles. The first diet risks assessment for the a clinical trial with high cholesterol pa- research,NutritionReviews2018,76(10):generalpopulation,EnvironmentalRe-tients reduced their LDL-C and C-reac- 725-746, doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy032; Jenkins D, tive protein (CRP) levels by 20% to 35%.Jones P, Lamarche B, et al., Effect of a Dietarysearch 2020, 187: 109677, doi: 10.1016/j.Components of the diet included vege- Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods Given atenvres.2020.109677; Zhang N, Li Y, He H, table protein (soy), nuts, viscous fibers2 Levels of Intensity of Dietary Advice on Serumet al., You are what you eat: Microplastics (oats, barley, and psyllium), and plantLipids in HyperlipidemiaA Randomized Con- in the feces of young men living in Beijing, trolled Trial, Journal of the American MedicalScience of the Total Environment 2021, sterols in standardized quantities. ThisAssociation 2011, 306(8): 831-839, doi:10.1001/ 767: 144345, at https://www.sciencedirect.dietary regimen was named the dietaryjama.2011.1202. com/science/article/pii/S0048969720378761.22 H ealtHF reedomN ews /s priNg2021NHF_Spring_2021_5-13-21-FINAL.indd 22 5/13/21 9:54 AM'