Microplastics Found in Human Blood
- , by SANUSq Research team
- 9 min reading time
The discovery of tiny plastic particles circulating in human blood made headlines around the world — so what does it actually mean, and what can you sensibly do?
What the study found: microplastics in blood
In 2022, Dutch researchers published a landmark study that, for the first time, detected and quantified microplastics in human blood. Using a sensitive new method, they analysed blood from a group of healthy adult volunteers and found plastic particles in the majority of them — most commonly PET (the plastic used in drink bottles), along with polystyrene and polyethylene. It was a genuine scientific first, confirming that the plastic particles already known to pervade our oceans, soil, air and food can also end up inside our bloodstream.
In a pioneering study, plastic particles were detected and quantified in the blood of 17 of 22 healthy adult volunteers — the first time microplastics had been measured in human blood (Leslie et al., 2022).
How do microplastics get into us?
Microplastics are tiny fragments — smaller than 5mm, and often far smaller — shed by the breakdown of larger plastic items and released from packaging, textiles and countless everyday products. We take them in mainly through what we eat and drink, and by breathing them in from indoor and outdoor air. Bottled water, food stored or heated in plastic, shellfish, and dust are all recognised sources. Given how thoroughly plastic saturates modern life, some exposure is essentially unavoidable, and the blood finding simply confirmed what many scientists had expected. A few sources stand out as worth knowing about: bottled water has been found to contain far more particles than tap water in many studies, plastic tea bags can release particles into hot water, and heating food in plastic containers is one of the more avoidable high-exposure moments. Synthetic textiles shed microfibres into the air of our homes with every wear and wash, which is why household dust is a surprisingly significant route. None of these individually is cause for alarm, but together they explain why the particles are so widespread — and, usefully, they also point to where small changes make the most difference.
Microplastic health effects: should you be worried?
This is where careful honesty matters, because the topic invites both complacency and alarm. The truthful position is that microplastic health effects in people have not been established: we don't yet know what effects, if any, microplastics in the body have. The blood study was a detection study — it showed the particles are there, not that they cause harm, and the authors were clear that the health implications remain to be established. Laboratory research raises plausible concerns about inflammation and the ability of the smallest particles to enter cells, and follow-up studies continue to investigate, but firm conclusions about human health simply aren't available yet. So the sensible stance is neither panic nor dismissal: take reasonable steps to reduce exposure while the science matures, without losing sleep over something that is, for now, genuinely uncertain.
How to avoid microplastics: practical ways to reduce your exposure
Complete avoidance isn't realistic, so how to avoid microplastics is better read as how to encounter fewer of them. Happily, the steps that reduce microplastic exposure are simple and overlap neatly with generally healthy, sustainable living. Favour tap or filtered water over bottled where your supply is safe. Avoid heating food in plastic containers or covering it with cling film in the microwave, as heat encourages plastics to shed — use glass or ceramic instead. Store food in glass or stainless steel where you can. Cut down on heavily packaged and ultra-processed foods, which tends to lower plastic contact while improving your diet anyway. Reduce household dust with regular ventilation and cleaning, and choose natural fibres over synthetic where practical. None of this needs to be obsessive; small, consistent swaps are what count, and they support a healthy, whole-food way of eating we explore in the anti-inflammatory diet.
What researchers are actually watching for
To understand why the science is unsettled rather than reassuring or alarming, it helps to know what questions researchers are trying to answer. The first is dose: how much plastic actually accumulates in the body over a lifetime, and does it clear or build up? The second is size: the very smallest particles, nanoplastics, are of most concern because they may be able to cross cell membranes and biological barriers in ways larger fragments can't. The third is the chemical dimension — plastics carry additives such as plasticisers and flame retardants, some of which are known hormone disruptors, so the particles may matter both physically and as chemical carriers. And the fourth is simply which tissues they reach and what they do once there; particles have now been reported in the lungs, gut, placenta and elsewhere, but reporting their presence is not the same as demonstrating harm. Until large, long-term human studies close these gaps, honest sources will keep saying the same thing: this is an active and important area of research, not a settled danger. That uncertainty is uncomfortable, but pretending to more certainty than exists — in either direction — would be the real disservice.
The bigger picture
It's worth keeping the individual advice in context, because microplastics are fundamentally a collective, environmental problem rather than a personal-failing one. No amount of careful shopping fully insulates anyone from particles that are now in rainwater, soil and the food chain worldwide, and it wouldn't be fair or accurate to suggest otherwise. Meaningful progress depends on reducing plastic production and waste at scale — the kind of change driven by policy and industry rather than by individuals alone. On a personal level, the most empowering framing is simple: do the reasonable, low-effort things that also happen to be good for your health and the environment, support the plastic-reduction efforts you believe in, and don't let a genuinely uncertain risk tip over into anxiety. Cutting down on single-use plastic is a rare win-win — better for the planet, and quite possibly for you.
Supporting your body
Beyond reducing exposure, the best thing you can do is support the body's own remarkable systems for handling unwanted substances — the liver, kidneys, gut and their antioxidant defences — through good food, hydration, sleep and exercise. There's no "cleanse" that removes microplastics, and you should be wary of any product claiming to, but a healthy body is well equipped to cope with everyday exposures. You can read more about supporting your antioxidant defences in glutathione, the master antioxidant, and about the gut in restoring healthy gut flora.
Frequently asked questions
Are microplastics in blood a real finding?
Yes. A 2022 study was the first to detect and quantify plastic particles in human blood, finding them in most of the healthy volunteers tested. It confirmed that microplastics, already found throughout the environment, can enter the human bloodstream.
What do we know about microplastic health effects?
We don't yet know what the microplastic health effects in people are, or whether there are any. The blood study showed the particles are present, not that they cause harm, and the health effects remain under investigation. Laboratory work raises plausible concerns, but firm conclusions about human health aren't available yet, so a measured, non-alarmist approach is wise.
How do microplastics get into the body?
Mainly through food and drink, and by breathing them in from air and dust. Bottled water, food stored or heated in plastic, shellfish and household dust are recognised sources. Given how widespread plastic is, some exposure is essentially unavoidable.
How to avoid microplastics in everyday life
You can't avoid them altogether, but you can meet fewer of them. Favour filtered tap water, avoid heating food in plastic (use glass or ceramic), store food in glass or steel, cut down on heavily packaged foods, and reduce household dust. These simple swaps overlap with generally healthy, sustainable habits.
Can I detox microplastics from my body?
There's no product or cleanse shown to remove microplastics, and you should be sceptical of any that claims to. The best approach is reducing exposure and supporting your body's own systems — liver, kidneys and gut — through a healthy lifestyle.
References
- Leslie HA, van Velzen MJM, Brandsma SH, et al. Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood. Environment International. 2022;163:107199. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2022.107199
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The health information in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your healthcare professional before making any medical decisions.
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