this post was submitted on 28 Mar 2024
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[–] bionicjoey 112 points 11 months ago (2 children)

That's assuming you could somehow stop new microplastic from entering the body

[–] Ashelyn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 78 points 11 months ago (8 children)

I mean, there is the argument that if they bioaccumulate in the blood, it's worth removing periodically even if it doesn't stop new intake

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[–] Sanctus@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago

Microplastic leeches.

[–] holycrap@lemm.ee 78 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Just donate blood. Skip the infection risk.

[–] oce@jlai.lu 37 points 11 months ago (3 children)

I'm not donating my blood plastic for free!

[–] Synthuir@lemmy.ml 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Oh great, now I have to worry about DuPont and Dow coming to repo my blood.

[–] Confused_Emus@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

I’ve got an idea for an opera…

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[–] ArmokGoB@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 16 points 11 months ago

Welp, better make an appt with the leech doctor then

[–] CheapFrottage@lemmynsfw.com 8 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

It also works on forever chemicals. They studied levels of PFAS in the blood of firefighters (who are commonly exposed to high levels in the foam they use), and found a clear difference between those that regularly donated blood and those who didn’t

[–] wrath_of_grunge@kbin.social 73 points 11 months ago (1 children)

i mean, as part of my job, i routinely take area hospitals medical grade leeches. it's not like they ever stopped being used by doctors.

[–] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 11 months ago (6 children)

Why would you use a leech instead of a needle or something? What are they for

[–] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 51 points 11 months ago

Not OP, but apparently they're useful for when you want a continuous, slow drain of blood. The ones they breed for hospitals don't carry disease, so you can just kinda plonk it onto the spot that you want blood out of, and replace it when it gets full

[–] FilterItOut@thelemmy.club 47 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Wait until you find out what they still use maggots for...

[–] spiderman@ani.social 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

what the fuck? why do they use that?

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 21 points 11 months ago (7 children)

They're really good at eating dead rotting flesh?

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[–] Perfide@reddthat.com 30 points 11 months ago

It's less about the blood they suck out and more about their saliva. It's a natural anticoagulant.

[–] boogetyboo@aussie.zone 19 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Amputation sites I think? The suction attracts blood flow to the area and supports healing/retention of blood vessels... I think. Neither one of us clearly can be bothered googling but that's what I recall...

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[–] MrShankles@reddthat.com 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

For skin grafts after burns; the leeches' saliva has anticoagulants that helps blood flow through the microvasculature (tiny blood vessels) of the area. This helps promote growth of new blood vessels, as well as improve the health of the current blood vessels in the area.

TLDR: Helps tiny blood vessels in skin grafts (and other procedures), reduces failure of said skin grafts

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[–] slampisko@lemmy.world 55 points 11 months ago (4 children)

Makes me genuinely wonder.. I've donated blood for like 15 times now -- does that make my current blood less saturated with microplastics than if I hadn't?

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 64 points 11 months ago (3 children)

No, because you eat and drink more microplastics to replenish yourself.

[–] BallsandBayonets@lemmy.world 53 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Donate 100% of blood, then fast. You'll be microplastic free for the rest of your life!

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Live a little will ya.

Keep your blood, eat plastics raw, turn yourself into a 3D printer.

[–] scutiger@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm already a 3D printer. I'm not very accurate, and my extrusion width is limited, but my flow rate is pretty good.

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[–] RaoulDook@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I was thinking that a kidney dialysis machine might be able to filter out that stuff from your blood. I think the way those work is your blood goes out a tube into the machine and it filters it before sending it back to you. So you'd need filters in there that are fine enough to catch the microplastics.

[–] Lojcs@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I don't think any filtering happens in dialysis, unwanted stuff just diffuses to another solution

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemm.ee 13 points 11 months ago

Correct. If there are actually micro plastics in your blood, the plastic is likely relatively small compared to a blood cell. Otherwise we would be witnessing a lot more issues with stroke/heart attacks. Any kind of filter small enough to filter out something that small would also filter out blood cells.

[–] scoobford@lemmy.zip 7 points 11 months ago

Probably not. Unless they build up in the body somewhere, the amount of microplastics in your blood is determined by how many you consume via inhaled dust, food, and drink compared with how many you flush put via urine and/or fecal material.

If they do build up in the body somewhere, it probably isn't the blood, because blood is already filtered regularly.

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[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 45 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Microplastics are the only guaranteed source of your daily dose of Vitamin P, as recommended by nobody and discouraged by the FDA.

[–] Patches@sh.itjust.works 12 points 11 months ago

Fake News: The FDA would never protect you from petrochem.

[–] thorbot@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

Good thing I only listen to the FDB

[–] corsicanguppy 30 points 11 months ago (2 children)

This is why we donate blood.

[–] Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world 35 points 11 months ago (3 children)

This would be a powerful Red Cross ad.

Lower your microplastics count. Donate blood so you can make more.

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[–] nooneescapesthelaw@mander.xyz 18 points 11 months ago (4 children)

Can anybody tell me why this is a bad idea

[–] andrewth09@lemmy.world 56 points 11 months ago (2 children)

The food you consume to produce the blood also has micro plastic. Nothing changes.

[–] glitch1985@lemmy.world 61 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah buts it's fresh micro plastic and not this stall stuff I've had in me for years.

[–] beeng@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 11 months ago

Therefore it's got new fresh chemicals to "leech" out into your blood again.

[–] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 11 months ago

That should depend on how the chemicals accumulate though. If all the plastic ends up in your blood and never gets naturally filtered out, it could make sense. Maybe it builds up in your fat/muscles instead though, or gets filtered over time and the amount in your system is the same as the amount in what you have recently eaten, idk

[–] MxM111@kbin.social 19 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That’s animal cruelty. (Feeding plastic-laden blood to leaches)

[–] Synnr@sopuli.xyz 18 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Somehow I don't think they'd mind too much, provided you give them a nice leech habitat.

Until Socraleech comes along and they force him to suck hemlock.

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[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It's random internet advice?

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 6 points 11 months ago

And 4Chan, which is the worst form of internet advice.

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