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The High Performance Journal - January 14th, 2025

It's said that we take a credit card's worth of microplastics into our bodies every week.

While this might be a gross over-exaggeration, microplastics' effect on our bodies should not be taken lightly.

Microplastics are starting to become a concern for both our environment and our health.

So, in today's newsletter, I want to explore microplastics, their effect on our bodies, whether we should be worried about them, how to test for them, and strategies for eliminating them from our systems.

Ready to get healthy? Let's go!

Dan's Personal Note: Before going deep, I have to point out that I don't obsess over these things. I still drink from a plastic bottle from time to time. I'm currently traveling, and I can't control what sheets I sleep in or where I get my food. The basic idea is to be aware while avoiding the fear that may come along with reading guides like this one. When it comes down to it, our bodies are more resilient than we may give them credit for. I hope you enjoy the guide as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

The Complete Guide to Removing Microplastics From Your Body

What Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are small plastic particles that measure 5 millimeters or less in size.

There are 2 main types:

1. Primary microplastics: Manufactured small plastic particles, like microbeads used in cosmetics.
2. Secondary microplastics: Result from the breakdown of larger plastic items due to environmental factors.

These tiny plastic particles are almost everywhere, especially in our environment. Some are so small that they can be in the air we breathe.

How Do Microplastics Enter Our Bodies?

• Ingestion: We may consume microplastics through contaminated food and water. Some estimates suggest that an average person could be ingesting up to 0.0005 milligrams to 5 grams of plastic weekly. I know this is a big range, but it depends on where you live and your overall exposure, which we'll discuss later in the article.
• Inhalation: Airborne microplastics can be inhaled, with estimates ranging from 26 to 170 particles per day, potentially amounting to up to 22,000,000 micro- and nanoplastics inhaled annually.
• Dermal contact: Direct skin contact with microplastic products can also lead to exposure.

Are Microplastics Bad For Our Bodies?

Image courtesy of ​Research Gate​ 

The research is still in the early stages, but there are a few potential effects microplastics have on our bodies:

1. Actual physical damage: Sharp microplastic particles can cause physical stimulation and potentially harm internal organs.
2. Endocrine disruption: Microplastics often contain various chemical additives, many of which are endocrine disruptors. These substances can interfere with hormone activity, potentially leading to reproductive, growth, and cognitive issues.
3. Carrier for other pollutants: Microplastics can adsorb and transport other toxic chemicals, such as heavy metals and organic pollutants, potentially introducing these harmful substances into our bodies.
4. Inflammatory responses: Studies have found correlations between microplastics in the human body and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.
5. Respiratory complications: Inhaling microplastics may lead to respiratory issues, although more research is needed.
6. Potential systemic effects: Animal studies suggest that microplastics can enter our gut and affect multiple organ systems.

In a nutshell, microplastics are bad news for your body.

While we may not be able to avoid them completely, we can decrease our exposure, which will go a long way toward improving our health and well-being. If that interests you, then keep reading.

How To Test for Microplastics in the Body

Testing for microplastics is still in the early stages. You have advanced techniques like the ​Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy​ or ​flow cytometry​.

These methods detect and quantify plastic particles in blood samples, providing insights into the body's types and concentrations of microplastics.

Thankfully, at-home testing kits are also becoming available for consumer use.

The most affordable test I've found is Bryan Johnson's at-home microplastic testing kit, which you can get by ​clicking here​.

*Note: I love his work but I'm not affiliated with Bryan in any way. This is the only at-home test I know of, and unfortunately, it doesn't ship internationally outside of the US yet.

12 Ways to Remove/Avoid Microplastics Coming Into Our Bodies

As you read this, remember that your body is resilient and will only be as strong as your mind allows. It is important not to fear microplastics but to try to avoid them as best you can.

1. Reduce plastic use

This is the most obvious one. Do your best to avoid drinking from plastic bottles, using plastic chopping boards, and cooking your steaks like that guy in the picture. For the love of all that is holy, stop cooking your steaks like that guy in the picture. Replace your plastic water bottles and bags with reusable items like steel and silicone. In general, avoid single-use plastics when possible.

2. Choose natural fibers

Select clothes, bedding, and fabrics made from cotton, linen, wool, hemp, silk, bamboo, and kapok. Avoid almost all clothing made from cheap brands like Shein and Temu as they've been found to contain an ungodly amount of microplastics and BPA's.

3. Drink filtered drinking water

Use high-quality water filters like Berkey water filters that can remove microplastics from tap water.

4. Switch to plastic-free kitchen equipment and natural cleaning solutions

Switching to plastic-free kitchen equipment helps avoid microplastics by eliminating sources that shed tiny plastic particles into food and drinks. Glass, wood, and stainless steel alternatives don't release harmful microplastics when heated or scratched.

Also, natural cleaners tend to avoid plastic-based ingredients.

5. Avoid microwaving food in plastic

This helps prevent microplastic ingestion. Heat causes plastic containers to release tiny particles and harmful chemicals into food. Using glass or ceramic alternatives eliminates this risk, protecting our health.

6. Ditch plastic coffee makers

This is similar to not microwaving your food in plastic. Heating plastic is not good. Use the alternatives listed in #5.

7. Minimize hyper-processed food consumption

This is another good reason to avoid the ultra-processed junk. Highly processed foods are microplastic magnets, picking up particles from conveyor belts, machinery, and packaging. Stick to fresh, minimally processed eats. Your body will thank you for dodging those pesky plastic bits.

8. Choose plastic-free personal care products

Many personal care products are microplastic minefields. Check labels for sneaky culprits like polyethylene and polypropylene. Opt for natural alternatives in glass or metal packaging. Your skin, body and the oceans will thank you for going au naturel.

9. Cook with stainless steel/cast iron plans

Stainless steel and cast iron are your kitchen heroes. They don't shed nasty microplastics into your food like their flaky Teflon (non-stick) cousins. Plus, they're tough as nails and last forever.

10. Get a high-quality air purifier

If we want healthy lungs, we must stop breathing in plastic particles. Get yourself a top-notch HEPA air purifier, pronto. These bad boys snag those sneaky microplastics floating in your air like a boss. A good filter can trap 99.97% of the tiny invaders. Your future self will thank you for not turning into a human Tupperware.

11. Eat fish lower on the food chain

Ocean animals lower on the food chain, like farmed trout, fresh tilapia, arctic char, oysters, clams, scallops, blue mussels, and canned pink sockeye salmon, gobble up fewer microplastics than their larger predator pals.

12. Do regular blood donations

Donating blood (every 12 weeks) or plasma regularly (every 6 weeks) can be like an oil change for your body. Plasma donation slashes PFAS levels by up to 30%. Blood donation works, too, but it is just slower.

Simple Changes. Big Impact.

By now, you understand how microplastics can impact our bodies and what we can do to minimize their effect.

Making a few simple changes to your lifestyle can impact your quality of health.

Even some of the suggestions made here can save you money in the long run.

One thing I want to leave you with is that microplastics are not to be feared. Fear is the mind-killer.

What we should do with this list is make systematic changes to avoid them as best we can.

I hope this newsletter helped you become a little bit healthier.

Onwards and upwards. 🚀

- Dan

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 References

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2.  ​https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/plastics-and-health/​ 
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5.  ​https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200309221340.htm​ 
6. Yu Su, Chenqi Yang, Songfeng Wang, Huimin Li, Yiyu Wu, Baoshan Xing, and Rong JiEnvironmental Science & Technology 2024 58 (24), 10764-10775DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00846
7. Kazi Albab Hussain, Svetlana Romanova, Ilhami Okur, Dong Zhang, Jesse Kuebler, Xi Huang, Bing Wang, Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Yongfeng Lu, Mathias Schubert, and Yusong LiEnvironmental Science & Technology 2023 57 (26), 9782-9792DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01942
8. Yue Li, Le Tao, Qiong Wang, Fengbang Wang, Gang Li, and Maoyong SongEnvironment & Health 2023 1 (4), 249-257DOI: 10.1021/envhealth.3c00052
9.  ​https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/02/427161/how-to-limit-microplastics-dangers​ 
10. Kwon JH, Kim JW, Pham TD, Tarafdar A, Hong S, Chun SH, Lee SH, Kang DY, Kim JY, Kim SB, Jung J. Microplastics in Food: A Review on Analytical Methods and Challenges. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 15;17(18):6710. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17186710. PMID: 32942613; PMCID: PMC7559051.
11. Matthew Cole, Alessio Gomiero, Adrián Jaén-Gil, Marte Haave, Amy Lusher,Microplastic and PTFE contamination of food from cookware,Science of The Total Environment,Volume 929,2024,172577,ISSN 0048-9697, ​https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172577.​ 
12. Dubey S, Rohra H, Taneja A. Assessing effectiveness of air purifiers (HEPA) for controlling indoor particulate pollution. Heliyon. 2021 Sep 10;7(9):e07976. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07976. PMID: 34568599; PMCID: PMC8449022

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.