Microplastics are small plastic particles—typically less than 5 millimeters in size—resulting from the gradual breakdown of larger plastic items like bottles, packaging, and textiles. They persist in the environment, are ingested through air, food, and water, and may be related to a host of health-related issues.

Persistence and Exposure

Microplastics represent a complex class of pollutants, driven by enormous global production and disposal of plastics. Most are made from synthetic hydrocarbons like polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride—materials that don’t decompose by design. Instead, ultraviolet radiation breaks molecular bonds, oxidation weakens surfaces, and physical abrasion grinds these polymers into ever-smaller fragments.

Progressive disintegration results in plastic particles that accumulate in the environment and food chain for decades – or even centuries.

Microplastics have become virtually impossible to avoid. They drift in the air, settle on crops and soil, wash into rivers and oceans, and circulate back into the food supply. Even food packaging can add to the load, as microscopic particles migrate from containers or are introduced during handling. Each sip of water, bite of food, or breath of air is another opportunity for exposure.

One analysis of U.S. exposure pathways estimated that adults ingest roughly 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles each year, rising to 74,000 to 121,000 when inhalation is included. Global estimates are highly variable and still provisional, but current reviews suggest humans may consume on the order of 0.1 to 5 grams of microplastics per week—roughly the mass of a credit card.

Potential Health Impacts

The biological effects of microplastics are not yet well-understood. Most evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies, which reveal plausible mechanisms of harm but not yet clear cause-and-effect relationships. Current research focuses on how these particles interact with tissues, trigger inflammation, and act as carriers for other environmental chemicals, as described below.

• Inflammation and immune activation: Studies show that microplastics irritate epithelial tissues in the gut and respiratory tract, activating macrophages and releasing inflammatory cytokines, resulting in chronic low-grade inflammation.

• Endocrine disruption and chemical leaching: Many plastics contain additives like bisphenols, phthalates, and flame retardants that can leach from particles once ingested or inhaled. These compounds are known endocrine-active substances that can interfere with hormonal signaling, reproduction, and metabolic regulation.

• Oxidative stress and cellular damage: Plastic polymers and their additives can lead to oxidative damage of cell membranes, proteins, and DNA. Animal models have linked this process to intestinal barrier disruption and metabolic stress.

• Translocation and tissue accumulation: Nanoplastics—particles below one micron—may cross epithelial barriers, enter the bloodstream, and reach secondary organs such as the liver, kidneys, or brain. Recent studies have detected microplastic fragments in vascular tissues, suggesting systemic distribution.

• Microbiome and gastrointestinal effects: Experimental models indicate that microplastics can alter gut microbial composition, reduce microbial diversity, and change short-chain fatty acid production. These shifts may have downstream effects on immune and metabolic health.

• Potential cardiovascular and reproductive links: Early observational studies have correlated higher microplastic levels in human tissues with markers of atherosclerosis, sperm abnormalities, and placental inflammation.

Reducing Exposure and its Effects

Complete avoidance of microplastics isn’t possible, so the goals are two-fold: supporting the body’s natural filtration and waste-elimination systems, and minimizing additional exposure.

Promote healthy filtration and waste elimination with nutrients that support liver flow and bile production, like methionine, cysteine, taurine, antioxidants (glutathione, vitamin C, NAC), and B-vitamins. Additionally, probiotics maintain microbial diversity and gastrointestinal integrity, while antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids help support a healthy inflammatory status.

Minimize additional exposure with simple strategies like avoiding bottled water, minimizing plastic in food storage/preparation, using HEPA filters in vacuums and air conditioning systems, selecting natural or blended textiles, and limiting single-use plastic packaging.

Speaking of single-use plastic packaging, Professional Formulas – like all professional brands – has long relied on plastic bottles for our encapsulated supplements.