Microplastics Detox: Is It Possible?

Here’s what experts say about how long microplastics may linger in your body, if it’s possible to flush them out of your system, and potential strategies to minimize any damage these particles may cause.

While additional evidence and larger studies are needed to expand on this theory, some experts say tactics like these won’t solve the issue of repeated microplastics exposure.

“If you're a human living in the modern world, you're going to be continually exposed to microplastics, and you could technically get your blood cleaned, but then as soon as you walk back out, you’re going to be re-exposed,” says Susanne Brander, PhD, an environmental toxicologist and an associate professor in the department of environmental and molecular toxicology at Oregon State University in Corvallis, whose laboratory researches the effects of microplastics and endocrine disrupting compounds on health. “There have been lots of articles published on how to reduce your exposure to microplastics — but you can’t reduce it completely. It’s just not possible.”

“I don’t think we necessarily know,” says Brander. There isn't any evidence to say one way or the other whether any strategy works comprehensively, and what effect a strategy has on reducing the risks linked to microplastics in the body. Read: If someone is trying to sell you a smoothie that’s supposed to eliminate microplastics, skip it.

• Boost your antioxidant intake. Initial research has pointed to the anti-inflammatory properties of antioxidants like anthocyanin (a plant compound found in purple and blue-hued foods like grapes and berries) as being helpful for reducing some of the hormonal and fertility-related effects of microplastics. The paper doesn’t give a specific amount of anthocyanins to consume.

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• Eat a balanced diet. A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein sources is a therapeutic recommendation for treating lead exposure, and may support your body overall in mitigating the harms from potential contaminants.

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• Stay hydrated. Drinking a lot of water may not flush microplastics out of your body, but it does support your body’s natural detoxification process by helping your kidneys remove waste from the blood through urine.

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  Avoid single-use plastic water bottles whenever possible.

Xiaobo Romeiko, PhD, an associate professor in the department of environmental health sciences at the University at Albany in New York, who researches chemicals found in plastic products, agrees that there aren't currently any proven ways to completely detox microplastics from the body, including commercially available cleanse and detox products.

“As far as I know, there is no clinical evidence that over-the-counter detox products can remove microplastics from the body,” Dr. Romeiko says. “However, eliminating exposure can be an effective strategy to reduce risk.”

Without specific scientific evidence around detoxing from microplastics, the best way to reduce their levels in our bodies is to limit exposure, says Abena BakenRa, MPH, a science associate at the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the UCSF department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences in San Francisco, who has researched the effects of microplastic exposure on human health.

• Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers, as heat can trigger the release of microplastic particles.

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• Use a filter for tap water, as certain water filters and treatments like reverse osmosis (RO) may reduce the presence of microplastics.

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• Opt for glass containers, rather than plastic containers, for food and household items.
• Be selective with seafood consumption, as some shellfish may contain high concentrations of microplastics because of marine pollution. While there are a lot of variables at play when it comes to how many microplastics may be lurking in different types of seafood, one study suggests to shop for Chinook salmon, black rockfish, and lingcod.

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• Switch out to a French press coffeemaker, or one with glass parts, rather than plastic varieties that could release microplastics with the presence of heat and water.
• Use household cleaning products that are part of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice program.

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   This federal program reviews products to ensure chemical ingredients, performance, and packaging are safe for human health and the environment.

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Brander says these steps, rather than a single detox, will reduce any potential harmful health risks over the long-term.

“There’s no silver bullet, so to speak, and there’s no quick fix,” she says. “It's about revamping your lifestyle over time — and it doesn't have to be overnight. It doesn't have to be perfect, as long as you’re aiming to reduce microplastics exposure where you can.”

• Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that humans are exposed to through diet, products, and the environment, with some research connecting them to a variety of potential health risks.
• While there currently isn’t enough specific scientific evidence about proven methods for detoxing from microplastics, dietary tactics like boosting antioxidant intake could support your body’s natural purification processes.
• Rather than focusing on detoxing, many experts suggest strategies that you can better control — like reducing your exposure to microplastics by avoiding single-use plastics — to potentially mitigate any harmful health risks.