Disclaimer: Not Medical Advice. Opinions are my own.

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Today's Newsletter at a Glance:

• Brief History of Plastics

• Your Daily Exposure to Microplastics

• Potential Health Risks Associated with Microplastic Exposure

• 6 Simple Solutions that Significantly Lower Microplastic Exposure

Since 1907, when Leo Baekeland invented plastic, it has become a staple of modern society.

Its popularity took hold thanks to plastic's lightweight and durable nature at an affordable price tag.

Although plastic offers a wide range of solutions for many of our daily needs, are we trading health for convenience?

The culprit in question is microplastics.

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are less than five millimeters in size.

The real problem is that microplastics are being found throughout the human body.

In today's newsletter, we'll cover areas with the highest exposure to microplastics, what the data shows about them, and simple solutions that help limit exposure.

Your Daily Exposure to Microplastics

The point of this newsletter isn't to fear-monger or add unnecessary baseline anxiety to plastic exposure.

My goal is to raise awareness about the potential harm microplastics can cause to the body and the easy changes you can make to significantly reduce your risk.

The truth is, plastic is everywhere, making it unavoidable.

Microplastics can be found in our food, water, and the air we breathe.

Although the data is still in its infancy, correlational data suggest red flags with microplastic exposure and health concerns.

Microplastics can be ingested, inhaled, or come into contact with our bodies through dermal contact (skin exposure).

​This review does a phenomenal job of curating studies that have detected microplastics in various biological tissues, including the brain, colon, liver, testes, and ovaries.

You don't need a doctor or scientist to tell you that plastic in the body isn't good.

What does the data say about our bodies' reactions to microplastics?

Potential Health Risks Associated with Microplastic Exposure

I want to reiterate that further studies are required to prove any direct causal link to a specific disease; however, the correlation is concerning.

Our bodies want to stay in a state of balance (homeostasis) and do a great job of clearing waste and foreign substances, but microplastics still get trapped in our organs.

The presence of microplastics is associated with inflammation.

​This systematic review examined human and animal studies for the impact of microplastics on various organs, suggesting the downstream effects of their toxicity.

Microplastics are “suspected” to harm human reproduction, digestive, and respiratory health.

​In all biological systems, exposure to microplastics may cause particle toxicity, leading to oxidative stress, inflammatory lesions, and increased uptake or translocation.​

Given that the trend suggests microplastics are harmful, I urge you to make conscious efforts to reduce your exposure.

I have curated a list of 6 ways to limit your exposure.

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6 Simple Solutions to Lower Your Microplastic Exposure

Given that microplastics are everywhere, attempting to minimize your exposure to zero would cause more stress than benefit.

I take the 80/20 approach. 80% of your outcomes are driven by 20% of your inputs. In other words, you can make a major impact by changing the few big things.

Here are six simple solutions that can make a big difference:
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1. Stop drinking from plastic water bottles​
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   Plastic bottles can leach microplastics and chemical additives, such as BPA and phthalates, into drinking water, particularly when exposed to heat or stored for extended periods. Switching to stainless steel or glass bottles significantly reduces your daily exposure.
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   (Bonus - filtering your tap water.)
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2. Don't microwave plastic.​
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   Heating plastic containers can cause them to break down, releasing microplastics and harmful chemicals into your food. Even plastics labeled “microwave-safe” aren’t necessarily free from this risk. A simple switch is to transfer food to a glass or ceramic plate or container before reheating.
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3. Avoid coffee in paper cups.​
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   Most “paper” coffee cups are lined with a thin layer of plastic to prevent leaks. When hot liquids come into contact with this lining, tiny plastic particles can flake off into your morning coffee. Switching to a stainless steel to-go cup or a ceramic mug is a safer alternative.
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4. Replace all coated pans with stainless steel.​
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   Nonstick pans are often coated with materials such as Teflon (PTFE), which can chip and degrade at high temperatures, releasing microplastics and toxic fumes into your food. Stainless steel and cast iron cookware are safer, more durable, and naturally free of plastic coatings.
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5. Replace all plastic tupperware with glass.​
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   Over time, plastic storage containers scratch and degrade, releasing microplastics directly into your food. Glass containers are inert, easy to clean, and do not leach particles or chemicals, even after years of use.
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6. Limit Canned Soups​
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   Surprisingly, many canned soups are lined with epoxy resins that contain BPA or similar chemicals, which can flake into the food over time. Choose fresh, frozen, or glass-packaged alternatives whenever possible to reduce your intake of plastic-related chemicals.

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Again, focus on getting the easy stuff right. Be conscious, proactive, and make these simple solutions.

I am eager to see the emerging data on how our bodies respond to microplastics and am certain to cover an updated newsletter in the future.
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Only the best,

Jeremy London, MD

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