The gold dust bought at Walmart may make your graduation photo pretty or your baby reveal a happy moment. But one blow and it’s forever cycling as microplastics that will get into our lungs.
Microplastics have infiltrated nearly every aspect of modern life, from the personal care products we use to the food we consume. These tiny plastic fragments, often smaller than a grain of rice, have been linked to potential health risks, including harm to the digestive, respiratory, and reproductive systems. Some studies even suggest they may contribute to serious conditions such as lung and colon cancer. A recent study says that humans may have as much as one teaspoon of microplastics in their brains!
We are just starting to learn about the effects of microplastics and as they build up in the body the effects may be irreversible.
According to a newly released scientific paper, three medical experts assert that switching from bottled water to filtered tap water could significantly decrease annual microplastic consumption—dropping it by about 90%, from 90,000 to 4,000 particles per year.
How to reduce exposure to microplastics
A steel water bottle
Completely eliminating microplastic exposure is unlikely, given their widespread presence in the environment. However, the researchers, publishing in Genomic Press, emphasize that targeting the most significant sources of intake is a more practical strategy.
“The dramatic increase in brain microplastic concentrations over just eight years, from 2016 to 2024, is particularly alarming,” notes Dr. Nicholas Fabiano from the University of Ottawa’s Department of Psychiatry, lead author of the Commentary. “This rise mirrors the exponential increase we’re seeing in environmental microplastic levels.”
Bottled water remains one of the largest contributors to microplastic ingestion. Data from the beverage industry indicates that bottled water was the most popular packaged drink in the US last year, with Americans consuming 16.2 billion gallons—a 2% increase from 2023. However, plastic particles can shed into bottled water over time, especially when bottles are squeezed or exposed to heat.
“Bottled water alone can expose people to nearly as many microplastic particles annually as all ingested and inhaled sources combined,” says Dr. Brandon Luu, an Internal Medicine Resident at the University of Toronto. “Switching to tap water could reduce this exposure by almost 90%, making it one of the simplest ways to cut down on microplastic intake.”
Other significant sources include plastic tea bags, which can release millions of micro and nano-sized particles per brewing session. He also highlights that how we heat and store food matters. “Heating food in plastic containers—especially in the microwave—can release substantial amounts of microplastics and nanoplastics,” he explains. “Avoiding plastic food storage and using glass or stainless steel alternatives is a small but meaningful step in limiting exposure.
“While these changes make sense, we still need research to confirm whether lowering intake leads to reduced accumulation in human tissues.”
If switching to filtered tap water isn’t an option, there are other effective ways to limit microplastic exposure.
Beyond bottled water, alcohol and seafood have been identified as other significant dietary sources of microplastics. Fish swim in a sea of microplastics and when we eat fish, we eat the plastic too. Researchers also warn against heating food in plastic containers, as this practice can release millions of microplastic particles per square centimeter in just minutes. Microplastics are less than 5mm in size and some are not visible to the naked eye. They can fibers from clothes, fragments and beads, or pieces of film used in food packaging.
Other recommendations for reducing exposure include:
- Storing food in glass or stainless steel instead of plastic
- Limiting consumption of canned and highly processed foods
- Avoiding microwaving meals in plastic containers
One study found that highly processed foods, such as chicken nuggets, contained 30 times more microplastics per gram than unprocessed chicken breast. This underscores the role of industrial food processing, where plastics are often used in various stages of production.
The global plastic industry produces approximately 460 million metric tons of plastic annually, with projections suggesting this could rise to 1.1 billion metric tons by 2050. We already see research that shows that recycling programs are a lie in the Western world as most plastics are not recycled and when recycling they emit toxic chemicals.
On an individual level, Americans are estimated to inhale and ingest between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles each year. These particles have been found in human blood, lungs, kidneys, livers, testicles, the brain and even placentas.
Recent research suggests that microplastics can disrupt gut bacteria, cause inflammation, and harm intestinal cells. Even more alarming, a study published last month revealed that the human brain may contain the equivalent of a spoonful of plastic fragments.The researchers behind the latest paper advocate for more in-depth studies on the long-term health effects of microplastic exposure. They also call for clear regulatory limits on microplastic consumption.
While minimizing intake seems like a logical step, the authors caution that it remains uncertain whether these reductions will directly lead to lower plastic accumulation in human tissues. However, given the potential risks, making simple lifestyle changes—like switching to filtered tap water—could be a crucial step toward reducing microplastic exposure and protecting long-term health.
