Microplastics in Our Bodies: What We Know, What We Don’t, and How to Protect Yourself

In recent years, headlines have warned us of a hidden yet growing health threat: microplastics. These tiny particles are everywhere — in our oceans, in our soil, in the food we eat, and even in the air we breathe. Disturbingly, they’re also turning up inside our bodies.

From the deepest trenches of the ocean to the highest peaks of Mount Everest, scientists have found plastic particles scattered across the planet. And now, they’ve found them in human blood, stool, and even organs. While we don’t yet know the full extent of the health implications, early research points to concerning links between microplastics and inflammation, hormone disruption, fertility issues, and more.

What Exactly Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are defined as plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in length. Even smaller are nanoplastics, which are under 1 micrometer and are more likely to penetrate our tissues and enter our bloodstream.

Most microplastics come from the breakdown of larger plastic materials — like food packaging, water bottles, or synthetic textiles — through exposure to sunlight, heat, and physical abrasion. A single plastic bag or bottle, once discarded into the environment, can degrade into millions of invisible fragments over time.

According to Dr. Richard Thompson, a marine biologist who coined the term "microplastics" in 2004, “The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat — it’s in it. We’re exposed.”

How Do Microplastics Get Into Our Bodies?

Unfortunately, it’s easier than you might think. Microplastics are now found in tap water, bottled water, seafood, table salt, fruits and vegetables, and even the dust in your home.

Researchers have identified several main exposure pathways:

• Inhalation: Dust in the home or particles from synthetic clothing fibers.

• Ingestion: Through contaminated food, water, or even from plastic utensils and containers.

• Dermal absorption: Possibly through cosmetics, lotions, and synthetic fabrics (though more research is needed in this area).

One surprising source? Car tires, which shed synthetic rubber microplastics that end up in water systems and soil. Even wastewater sludge, often used as fertilizer, can reintroduce these particles into the food chain.

Once inside the body, larger particles can sometimes be excreted — microplastics have been detected in both urine and stool. But nanoplastics may be a different story. These ultra-small fragments can pass through the gut lining, enter the bloodstream, and migrate to organs like the liver, brain, and lungs.

The Known and Unknown Health Effects

While definitive conclusions are still years away, animal studies suggest microplastics can:

• Disrupt hormone function (especially endocrine disruptors like phthalates and bisphenol A).

• Damage lung and gut tissue.

• Weaken the immune system.

• Decrease sperm quality and harm reproductive health.

• Potentially raise the risk of lung and colon cancer.

In humans, early studies have linked microplastic exposure to preterm births, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Some of the chemicals found in plastics — including PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” — are classified as probable carcinogens and have already been tied to a wide range of health concerns.

Can You Reduce Your Exposure?

Here’s the tough part: plastic is everywhere. Still, there are some practical ways to minimize your exposure and reduce the toxic load on your body:

• Avoid drinking from plastic water bottles, especially ones that have been left in the sun.

• Don’t microwave food in plastic containers. Use glass or ceramic instead.

• Eat more fresh, whole foods. Highly processed and packaged foods are more likely to contain microplastics.

• Switch to natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen when possible.

• Wash new synthetic clothes before wearing to remove loose microfibers.

• Use a HEPA filter air purifier and vacuum regularly to reduce airborne microplastics.

• Wipe surfaces with a damp cloth, not a dry duster, to prevent particles from recirculating.

Keep in mind: many of these changes require resources or privileges. Real progress will depend on broader policy changes. Some governments have already begun to act—for instance, the U.S. and EU have banned microbeads in cosmetics, and some states are phasing out Styrofoam food containers. A global United Nations treaty on plastic pollution is also in the works, aiming to tackle the root of the problem.

From a functional medicine standpoint, it’s essential to view this not just as an environmental issue, but as a chronic exposure concern affecting detoxification pathways, inflammation, hormonal balance, and gut integrity. Supporting your body’s natural detox systems — through nutrition, hydration, and liver-supporting supplements — can be a valuable part of a broader prevention strategy.

We don’t yet have all the answers, but we do know this: microplastics aren’t just a pollution problem. They’re a health issue. And by staying informed and advocating for meaningful change, we can protect our bodies — and our planet — from this silent invader.

To learn more about JCH or to make an appointment, click here to contact us! If you have any more questions about your path to optimal health, email our office at thejohnsoncenter@gmail.com or call 276-235-3205.

The Johnson Center for Health services patients in-person in our Blacksburg and Virginia Beach / Norfolk locations. We also offer telemedicine for residents of Virginia and North Carolina!