The Effects of Microplastics on Your Health & How to Reduce Them

Microplastics and nanoplastics, ubiquitous in the environment, are tiny plastic particles found in a wide range of consumer products, materials, and even within the human body.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are tiny plastic particles that are ubiquitous in the environment and can be found in a wide range of consumer products and materials.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are extremely prevalent, permeating diverse aspects of the environment—air, water, and land. Huberman sheds light on the astonishing reach of these particles into our daily lives. Whether it’s through car windshields, drinking bottles, textile fibers, resins, paints, varnish, construction materials, automotive parts, or even the linings of soup cans and paper cups for hot beverages, these tiny plastic bits are omnipresent.

Huberman discusses their widespread presence, explaining that these particles inevitably deposit into our tissues. Their pervasiveness is particularly notable in certain sources, indicating a systemic ingestion into our bodies.

Microplastics range in size from 1 micron to 5 millimeters, while nanoplastics are smaller than 1 micron.

When defining the size, microplastics range from one micron to five millimeters in diameter, while nanoplastics are even smaller, being less than one micron in diameter. To put this into perspective, the cell bodies of neurons vary significantly in size, with some as small as five microns across—comparable to the larger spectrum of nanoplastics.

Through techniques like electron microscopy, scientists can observe these minuscule particles, revealing that both microplastics and nanoplastics have infiltrated bottled water and other consumer goods.

Microplastics and nanoplastics are present in air, water, food, and consumer goods due to the widespread use and production of plastic since the 1950s.

Huberman talks about the abundance of these particles not only in our food supply, particularly in packaged goods, but also in more worrying contexts—such as in the meconium of newborns, suggesting prenatal exposure. Their prevalence varies by location, but tap water is noted as a common source of microplastic and nanoplastic contamination.

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The human body is prone to the accumulation of microplastics and nanoplastics, which enter through inhalation, ingestion, and absorption. They can navigate biological barriers and settle in organs and tissues for extended durations.

Microplastics and nanoplastics can enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, and absorption, and subsequently accumulate in various organs and tissues.

Scientific research reveals that microplastics are present in nearly every organ and tissue. Post-mortem studies of human tissues have found these particles lodged within specific tissues, with deceased adults having about 0.5% of their brain weight comprised of microplastics. Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome have shown higher levels of microplastics in their stool, possibly due to less effective filtration of these particles.

These small plastic particles can cross biological barriers like the blood-brain barrier, blood-testis barrier, and blood-follicle barrier, and have been detected in the brain, testes, follicles, and other organs.

Research indicates that microplastics can traverse the blood-brain barrier and have been detected in the brain. They are also capable of crossing the blood-testicular barrier and the blood-follicular barrier, as evidenced by the presence of these plastics in every analyzed human testicle and in other tissues that possess such barriers.

The bioaccumulation of microplastics and nanopl ...

Research is increasingly drawing connections between microplastics and nanoplastics—and the chemicals they carry—and disruptions in hormone pathways and reproductive function. There are concerns about the potential health impacts these could have, particularly on the endocrine system and reproduction.

Microplastics and nanoplastics, as well as the chemicals they can carry (like BPAs, BPSs, and phthalates), are linked to potential disruptions in hormone pathways and reproductive function.

Studies suggest that exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics might be associated with several health concerns, particularly around hormone and reproductive functions. [restricted term], crucial for factors like muscle mass, bone density, and libido, can be affected by the bioaccumulation of substances like microplastics, and there's evidence that urinary phthalate metabolites are linked with decreased serum [restricted term] levels. Elevated phthalate levels, especially in women aged 40 to 60, have been inversely related to [restricted term] levels.

Studies have shown associations between higher levels of microplastics/nanoplastics and reduced sperm count, altered sex hormone levels, and increased risk of certain hormone-dependent cancers.

Andrew Huberman discusses the risk of microplastics and nanoplastics being sources of endocrine disruption that can impact hormone systems and potentially lead to infertility. An example he gives is how consuming canned soup, which often contains BPA in the lining, was associated with a more than 1000% increase in urinary BPA. BPA and BPS can mimic estrogen and bind to estrogen receptors, potentially impacting androgen receptors as well. Huberman raises concerns about an increase in cancer rates, especially in hormone-sensitive tissues such as ovaries and testes. He highlights a correlation between the presence of microplastics/nanoplastics and reduced sperm counts and motility.

The potential impacts on neurodevelopment, particularly in fetuses and young children, are a concern but the causal evidence is still limited.

Huberman also addresses t ...

The article discusses strategies to reduce exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics and ways to help the body eliminate these particles.

Reducing exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics can be achieved through various lifestyle changes, such as avoiding plastic bottles, canned foods, and certain cookware.

Huberman recommends avoiding microwave popcorn and using tooth tablets from a glass jar. Lifestyle changes include not drinking out of plastic bottles, limiting clothing purchases, and reducing the disposal of clothes. For water consumption, he suggests using stainless steel bottles, ceramic mugs, or glass to reduce exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics. Huberman also advises against the consumption of canned soups unless the cans specify what they do not contain.

When preparing food, he recommends using nitrile gloves when handling receipts to avoid BPAs, especially if the hands are covered with substances like sunscreen or lotions which can increase absorption. Cooking should be done with cast iron or ceramic cookware to avoid exposure to BPAs, BPSs, and forever chemicals.

Increasing consumption of cruciferous vegetables and supplementing with sulforaphane may enhance the body's natural detoxification pathways to help eliminate these particles.

Huberman discusses enhancing the body's Phase Two liver detoxification processes, which aid in the removal of microplastics, nanoplastics, BPAs, and BPSs. He suggests increasing the intake of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower which contain sulforaphane. Cooking methods like light boiling, steaming, or pan cooking with olive oil can retain this nutrient. If individuals are not consuming many cruciferous vegetables, supplements are available and can provide suitable dosages of sulforaphane as supported by Examine.com.

After his own research, Huberman decided to take 50 milligrams of sulforaphane per day for detoxification purposes and to counteract the harmful effects of microplastics and nanoplastics. Ensur ...