#95 What Microplastics Are Doing to the Brain, Body, and Reproductive Systems

Posted on September 20th 2024 (6 months)
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Every week, you're consuming the equivalent of a credit card in plastic without even realizing it. And it’s all due to microplastics.

It gets worse—those microplastics you’re consuming aren’t just bits of plastic. They're laced with toxic chemicals like BPA, BPS, and phthalates, which are designed to make plastics stronger but wreak havoc on your body. These chemicals are notorious for disrupting hormones, altering metabolism, and increasing the risk of everything from infertility to heart disease.

How do these microplastics end up inside us? We consume them daily through bottled water, packaged foods, and even fresh produce, while breathing in plastic particles from urban air. But they don’t just leave—they accumulate in critical organs, from the lungs to the brain. This pervasive presence begs a frightening question: are these plastics silently contributing to chronic diseases or altering the way our bodies function at a cellular level?

In this episode and accompanying show notes, we’re breaking down how these tiny invaders are impacting your health, from brain function to reproductive issues, and what you can do to limit your exposure.

Some highlights from this episode:

  • Why exclusively drinking bottled water could increase your microplastic intake by up to 90,000 particles per year
  • Why consuming food or drinks heated in plastic increases BPA exposure up to 55x
  • How microwaving food in plastic containers can release over 4 million microplastic particles into a meal in just 3 minutes
  • Why microwavable popcorn is a major source of PFAS (AKA, forever chemicals)
  • How consuming canned soup daily for 5 days affects urinary BPA levels
  • The likely link between BPA & autism spectrum disorder
  • Why the brain may bioaccumulate plastic at 10-20x the rate of other organs
  • The strong correlation between brain microplastic levels & neurodegenerative disease
  • Why the growing amount of microplastic in human brains (50% more from 2016 to 2024) is cause for concern
  • How drinking from an aluminum can lined with BPA can increase blood pressure in just a few hours
  • Why you should never drink Topo Chico sparkling water
  • The only water filtration method that removes up to 99% of microplastic particles
  • Why disposable coffee cups are a major source of BPA exposure
  • How salt adds 7,000 microplastic particles to your diet every year
  • How to reduce microplastics in indoor air
  • How to alter your wardrobe to reduce microplastic exposure
  • Why handling receipts a major source of BPA exposure — especially after using hand sanitizer
  • Why sulforaphane could increase BPA, BPS, & phthalate excretion
  • Are microplastic-associated chemicals excreted through sweat?

How we’re exposed to microplastics and their associated chemicals

Microplastics are everywhere—and they’re smaller than you think. Some are as large as a grain of rice, but others are so tiny, they're a thousand times smaller than a grain of sand. These tiny particles come from the slow breakdown of larger plastics or are intentionally added to products like cosmetics and synthetic clothing. The scary part? We’re constantly exposed through everyday activities like eating, drinking, and even breathing.


Microplastics in aquatic systems, a comprehensive review: origination, accumulation, impact, and removal technologies - RSC Advances (RSC Publishing)

It’s hard to grasp the scale—up to 120,000 microplastic particles enter your body each year through things as routine as drinking water or eating food. But it doesn’t stop there: seafood, fruits, vegetables, and even baby bottles shed these particles into your system. Tap water alone can contain up to 1.2 million microplastics annually, and if you rely on bottled water, you could be consuming up to 90,000 more microplastic particles each year just from the packaging breakdown.

Here are some other sources of microplastics exposure encountered in everyday life:

  • Food (total): 488,000 to 577,000 particles per year
  • Salt: 5,000 to 7,000
  • Fish: 5,000 to 12,000
  • Vegetables: 29,600 to 95,500
  • Fruits: 448,000 to 462,000
  • Drinking water: 220,000 to 1.2 million particles per year
  • Air: (total): 210,000 to 2.51 million particles per year
  • Outdoor air: 46,000 to 210,000
  • Indoor air: 160,000 to 2.3 million

Plastics are often infused with chemicals such as BPA, BPS, phthalates, and PFAS to enhance durability and flexibility. These chemicals may come with significant health risks.

BPA & BPS: These compounds act like estrogen in the body, disrupting hormones and affecting everything from fertility to brain function. A study in the journal _Hypertension _revealed that consuming beverages from BPA-lined cans can spike blood pressure in just a few hours.

Phthalates: These chemicals are used to make plastics more flexible. They’ve been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, and developmental problems in children. High phthalate levels correlate with decreased testosterone levels in men.

PFAS: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals”, resist breaking down in the environment and accumulate in our bodies over time. They’re used to make products resistant to water, oil, and stains and can be found in non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, and food packaging. PFAS exposure is linked to immune system suppression, thyroid dysfunction, and an elevated risk of certain cancers.

What’s even more alarming is how easily these chemicals leach out of plastics, especially when heated or in contact with acidic or fatty foods. That hot takeout container, the water bottle left in your car, or even your daily coffee cup—all can expose you to microplastics and chemicals like BPA. Heating plastic is particularly dangerous: one study found that heating polycarbonate bottles to just 100°C can increase BPA release by up to 55 times. And it’s not just bottles—microwaving food in plastic containers can release over 4 million microplastic particles in just three minutes.

The problem extends beyond contaminated food and water—microplastics are also present in the air, entering our respiratory system. We inhale enough microplastic particles each week to equal the weight of a credit card, and these can become lodged deep in the lungs. Microplastics enter the atmosphere through several routes:

Clothing: Synthetic textiles—polyester, nylon, and acrylic—are a key contributor to airborne microplastics. Each wash sheds microfibers that pollute waterways and oceans, but they also turn into airborne particles we inhale, especially when handling laundry. Indoor dryers, if not properly vented, recirculate these fibers into our living spaces, and venting outdoors simply disperses the microplastics into the environment, amplifying the problem.

Shoes and tires: Another major source of airborne microplastics comes from tire wear and the degradation of synthetic shoe soles. Every time we drive, walk, or run, tiny particles of rubber and plastic are worn away and released into the air, becoming part of the dust we inhale. In urban areas with heavy traffic, this is a significant source of microplastic exposure. What’s more alarming is that air pollution, including microplastics, is increasingly being linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

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