Supporting Microplastic Detoxification In The Body

In 1950, the global manufacturing industry produced around 2~ million tons of plastic per year. Seventy years later, it now produces over 450~ million tons. That’s a lot of plastic. And unfortunately, science is discovering that more and more of that plastic is ending up in our bodies. An uncountable number of products are made from plastic; the lid that seals your prepackaged butter jar, chapstick containers, car interiors, toothbrushes, and so much more.

The problem is that plastics break down, and they don’t biodegrade.

Sun, weather, heat, and friction from wear-and-tear break down plastics into even smaller fragments called microplastics. These tiny plastic particles are now being detected in oceans, soils, animals, drinking water, and, sadly, in our bodies. Researchers estimate that the average person ingests around 2,000~ particles of plastic a week; that’s the equivalent of the weight of a credit card!

Where Do We Get Microplastic Exposure?

Sadly, we’re exposed to microplastics nearly everywhere we go. That means microplastics are finding their way into our bodies in every way possible. There are three main ways we come into contact with these microscopic plastic fragments: we either (1) ingest, (2) absorb, or (3) inhale them.

1. Ingestion

Food and water are major pathways, and both are things we can’t avoid, since we need them to survive. Since so much of the food we buy is wrapped in plastic or comes in plastic containers or bags, it’s no surprise that we get heavy doses of microplastics from the things we bring back from the grocery store.

 

Microplastics can leach out of packaging, be released into bottled water, or be absorbed by crops grown in soil that’s also contaminated with microplastics. Even cooking with non-stick pans or using plastic cutlery can release microplastics into our food. Fish and other types of seafood also end up ingesting and absorbing plastic through their natural environment—and when it ends up in them, it ends up in us, too.

1. Inhalation

Since microplastics can be broken down into such minuscule sizes, they can be lifted and transported around by the air. Polluted air can come from urban areas, agricultural fields, emissions from fuel-burning cars, contaminated ocean spray, and more.

Plus, fibers from cheap plastic rugs, clothes, or rags can also break down and find their way into the air, which contributes to the amount of microplastics we inhale on a daily basis.

1. Skin contact

While larger plastics (like visible chunks or pieces) are too large to be absorbed through the skin, lots of microplastics still permeate many of the personal care products and clothing that we wear or use on a daily basis.

Skincare products, like creams and other cosmetic products, can still enter the skin through pores and sweat glands. It’s generally not recommended to put anything on a cut or open wound. Skincare products should be especially avoided, as that can potentially ‘supercharge’ the absorption, since the product would already be bypassing the skin’s outermost protective layer.

How Do We Avoid Exposure to Microplastics?

It’s not possible to keep the human body separate from exposure to microplastics, but there are ways to mitigate how much we ingest and in what ways it enters our bodies.

1. Choosing reusables over disposables

To put it simply, avoid using plastic products in your house as much as you can. Use stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic ones, natural fiber cloth bags, glass containers instead of plastic ones, and so on.

1. Use natural fibers

Clothing, towels, and bedding made from 100% hemp fiber, cotton, or wool are a major area. Unfortunately, everything from socks to underwear and t-shirts is made of different blends of synthetic plastic fibers. The more you’re able to cut these out of your wardrobe and your laundry room, the better.

1. Filter your water

Use a stainless steel water filter to catch microplastics (and other harmful things) before they enter your bloodstream. And remember to switch from your plastic bottle to a metal one.

Adequate water is necessary for staying healthy, so let’s make sure it’s good water we drink!

1. Handle your food wisely

For cooking, you can get cast iron, stainless steel, or enameled cookware, too.

Teflon and other non-stick products have been under more and more scrutiny as of late due to the way they leech microplastics into the food we cook.

1. On a larger scale

The more we understand about microplastics and how they enter our bodies through our environment and the things we buy, the more preventative steps we can take to reduce microplastic exposure. Government action, both on a federal and community level, is key.

Regulations that support and enforce the use of more biodegradable materials are critical, but may not always be enacted, which means it’s up to us to take care of our environment—one person at a time.

Supporting the Body’s Natural Defenses

Even if you take measures to curb microplastic exposure by using safe cookware, replacing your wardrobe with clothing that’s more sustainable, and drinking clean water, we can’t avoid these plastics entirely.

Fortunately, we finally know how to detox microplastics from our cells.

Sulforaphane & Relive Greens

One promising way we can remove microplastics from our bodies is by aiding the body’s natural detoxification ‘defense’ system. There are certain foods, like broccoli and spirulina, that contain something called sulphoraphanes.

 

This naturally occurring chemical compound helps to boost the body’s detoxification enzymes by activating something called the NRF2 pathway. This process doesn’t directly ‘remove’ microplastic particles, but it helps by making toxins like BPA, BPS, and phthalates (which are associated with microplastics) more water-soluble.

 

The more soluble something is, and the more clean water we drink, the more we can flush these body microplastics out.

 

A convenient source of these sulphoraphanes is Relive Greens, a superfood blend that’s rich in broccoli, spirulina, and chlorella, which are two types of algae known for their detoxification qualities.

Clean Slate

Another product that’s under investigation for detoxification following the reduction of microplastic exposure is Clean Slate.

 

It has active minerals that act sort of like a sieve, binding to toxins produced by and associated with microplastics in the digestive tract. By latching onto these particles, some studies are showing the potential to reduce the amount of microplastics absorbed into the bloodstream.

Using a Sauna for Microplastic Reduction

Sweating is one of the body’s most effective natural pathways for detoxification. If you regularly use a sauna or a sauna blanket and actively hydrate with clean water, you can help to mobilize and flush certain toxins, including those associated with nanoplastics.

Fun fact: Microplastics are particles of plastic less than 5mm in size, while nanoplastics are invisible to the naked eye and are generally under 1mm in size.

Research is still ongoing about the effectiveness of sauna treatment to detox microplastics, but science has already shown that regular sauna use is good for heart and metabolic health, so it’s a good lifestyle habit to have anyway.

Clean Spirits

Finally, let’s talk about the liver. The liver is the body’s #1 most effective means of detoxing anything, including microplastics, so the importance of having a healthy liver can’t be overstated.

Antioxidants like glutathione can help to mitigate some of the oxidative stress caused by these pollutants. Supplements like Clean Spirits are designed to increase the body’s production of glutathione and help the liver cope with and handle the invisible threat of nanoplastics and microplastics.