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

In this episode, I explain what microplastics are, their prevalence in the human body and environment, and their common sources, as well as their potential negative health impacts. I provide practical strategies for limiting exposure to microplastics, nanoplastics, and endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-S (BPS), phthalates, and PFAS ("forever chemicals"). Additionally, I discuss methods to enhance the body's detoxification and excretion of microplastics.

By the end of this episode, you will have a clear understanding of the modern science of microplastics and their impact on human biology, along with actionable steps to minimize exposure and accumulation in the brain and body.

Articles

• Estimation of the mass of microplastics ingested – A pivotal first step towards human health risk assessment (Journal of Hazardous Materials)
• Ingested microplastics: Do humans eat one credit card per week? (Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters)
• Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain (JAMA Network Open)
• Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis (Toxicological Sciences)
• Detection of microplastics in human lung tissue using μFTIR spectroscopy (Science of The Total Environment)
• Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta (Environment International)
• Detection of various microplastics in placentas, meconium, infant feces, breastmilk and infant formula: A pilot prospective study (Science of The Total Environment)
• Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
• Microplastics in European sea salts – An example of exposure through consumer choice and of interstudy methodological discrepancies (Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety)
• Canned Soup Consumption and Urinary Bisphenol A: A Randomized Crossover Trial (JAMA)
• Microplastics and other harmful substances released from disposable paper cups into hot water (Journal of Hazardous Materials)
• Analysis of Microplastics in Human Feces Reveals a Correlation between Fecal Microplastics and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Status (Environmental Science & Technology)
• Urinary Phthalate Metabolites Are Associated With Decreased Serum Testosterone in Men, Women, and Children From NHANES 2011–2012 (The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism)
• Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events (The New England Journal of Medicine)
• The plastic brain: neurotoxicity of micro- and nanoplastics (Particle and Fibre Toxicology)

Books

• A Poison Like No Other: How Microplastics Corrupted Our Planet and Our Bodies

Other Resources

• The Graduate
• Sea salt - microscope images of extracted particles (Scientific Reports)
• What Microplastics Are Doing to the Brain, Body, and Reproductive Systems (Dr. Rhonda Patrick, Found My Fitness)
• What’s Really in Your Bottled Water? (Consumer Reports)
• Sulforaphane (Examine)
• Guppy bag for laundry (Amazon)
• NOBS toothpaste tablets (Biöm)
• Deliberate Heat Exposure Protocols for Health & Performance (Neural Network Newsletter):

Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned

• Using Salt to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance
• Dr. Mary Claire Haver: How to Navigate Menopause & Perimenopause for Maximum Health & Vitality
• How to Optimize Fertility in Males & Females
• Sperm Quality & Fertility (Timestamp)
• The Science & Health Benefits of Deliberate Heat Exposure
• How to Improve Oral Health & Its Critical Role in Brain & Body Health