Microplastics and Your Health

Plastic, plastic, plastic! It is everywhere. From our homes to our offices and in the air we breathe. Plastic is manufactured into everything including, office supplies, grocery bags, textiles, product packaging, and even certain types of furniture. Because of the excessive use, plastic pollution is creating a global problem for the environment, with plastic waste accumulating in rivers, being carried into the oceans, and even landfills, which are known to harbor plastic waste leaching into the soil impacting the ecosystem.

But what about microplastics? In all honestly, as a scientist and researcher, I have been discussing micro and nano plastics and their potential health risks for a myriad of years, long before the topic became mainstream. Seeing that research has increased in relation to the negative impacts of microplastics on and in the human body, so have concerns surrounding exposure and consumption.

A 2024 study in the New England Journal of Medicine connected micro and nano-plastic exposure to a higher risk of cardiovascular events, general inflammation, immune dysregulation, and metabolic disruption. Similarly, only last week, a study reported by CNN was published on the research of phthalates, a group of chemicals often referred to as plasticizers, used to make plastics softer and more flexible. This synthetic chemical, found in products such as food, storage containers, detergents, clothing, hair spray, shampoo, makeup, perfume, and children’s toys, may have lent to more than 10 percent of all global mortality from heart disease in 2018 among men and women ages 55 through 64.

“Phthalates contribute to systemic inflammation in the coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing disease and lead to acute events including mortality,” said senior author Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a professor of pediatrics and population health at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine.

Phthalates have also been linked in earlier studies with reproductive problems, such as genetic malformation, undescended testes in baby boys, lower sperm counts in adult males, childhood obesity, and asthma.

According to the National Library of Science, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), there are multiple scenarios where micro- and nanoplastics can become dangerous. As an example, the absorption of plastic particles through simple inhalation could lead to lung damage. Other concerns include particle and chemical toxicity, and the introduction of pathogens (organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, which can cause infections or illnesses) through bodily, microplastic absorption. Similarly, according to the American Medical Association, microplastics, specifically nanoplastics can pass through biological barriers and potentially damage organs.

Additional research shows plastic fibers and granules are found in beer, cosmetics, cleaning products, seafood, chicken nuggets, honey, salt, and water (tap, bottled, and seawater). Bottled water is one of the largest sources of microplastics.

According to the NCBI, eleven globally sourced brands of bottled water, purchased in 19 locations in nine different countries, were studied and assessed for microplastic contamination using Nile Red tagging (a method used to identify and quantify microplastics by staining them with a fluorescent dye). Of the 259 bottles evaluated, 93 percent showed signs of microplastic contamination. Yes, it is quite concerning!

How to minimize microplastic intake

So, how do we minimize microplastic intake? First, decrease your bottled water consumption and drink filtered water. Other steps include:

Avoid plastic cutting boards: use wood, bamboo, silicone, or ceramic instead.
Replace plastic containers with glass, stainless steel, or ceramic for food storage.
Use cast iron, metal, or ceramic cookware and utensils.
Avoid boil-in-the-bag frozen entrées and packaged produce.
Limit seafood consumption.
Be wary of plastic linings in canned goods.
Consider an NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) water filter.
Many tea bags contain plastic, use loose-leaf tea instead.
Microplastics can settle in dust and be ingested; clean your home regularly.
If you choose to use plastic dishes or containers, wash them by hand as dishwasher temperatures run hot and can degrade plastic and lead to microplastic shedding.

While researchers are still uncovering what phthalates and tiny plastic particles mean for overall health, studies have clearly shown there are legitimate health risks. So, let us all be more cognizant of plastic product use and focus on reducing that exposure to mitigate these risks.

For detoxing purposes, I use a formula designed to passively cleanse the body of various organisms including toxins, heavy metals, fungus, bacteria, and additional particles such as pathogens and microplastics; check out Clean Slate, hosted by The ROOT Brands®, at www.therootbrands.com/purelivingroot.