7 Ways to Help Your Body Manage Microplastics

Microplastics are near-invisible invaders infiltrating our bodies through the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the air we breathe. As researchers learn more about this health threat, they're trying to quantify exactly how much microplastic we absorb. One study suggests we ingest the equivalent of a plastic credit card weekly; another estimates the amount is akin to 50 plastic bags annually.

Thankfully, the body's natural detoxification functions - which help protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other intruders - may ultimately rid our bodies of at least some plastic.

"Our data suggests that the amount of microplastics does not simply accumulate as we age but probably gets cleared by our bodies, even if slowly," says University of New Mexico professor of toxicology Matthew Campen, PhD, MSPH, colead author of a 2025 study that found micro­plastics in participants' brains.

How efficiently our bodies can detox this unnatural invader is a more difficult question.

"The short answer is, we have no idea," Campen explains. "We think that the liver can move plastic particles back to the gallbladder and put them back in the GI tract for elimination. The kidneys may similarly be eliminating plastics in urine. The plastics may degrade in our body."

Some researchers are concerned that microplastics may impede such detox functions: A 2023 study on mice found that microplastics could accumulate in the liver and kidneys.

SUPPORT DETOX

We may be able to support our body's other systems of detoxification, though. In an online article, integrative- and functional-medicine physician Aaron Hartman, MD, reports on research-based strategies for protecting ourselves.

1) Eat your fiber. "High-fiber diets may help trap microplastics in the gut and facilitate their elimination. Fiber-rich foods promote bile secretion, which can bind to toxins, including microplastics, and remove them through stool," Hartman writes. (For more on the benefits of fiber, see "Why You Need to Eat Fiber.")

2) Supplement with activated charcoal and bentonite clay. "These natural adsorbents have been studied for their ability to bind toxins in the gut, potentially trapping microplastics and facilitating their excretion," he notes. (For more on other detox strategies, see "12 Strategies for a Safe Detox.")

REDUCE EXPOSURE

Meanwhile, the best defense against microplastics is to limit exposure in the first place, says environmental health researcher Tracey Woodruff, PhD, MPH, professor of OB-GYN and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. She lists the following strategies:

3) Avoid mixing food and plastics. "It's not easy!" she acknowledges. "But generally, eating food not cooked in plastic or packaged in plastic will help. This means never microwave food in plastic. I would also avoid eating out of plastic containers and try to avoid food wrapped in plastic."

Woodruff recommends buying fresh food instead of processed food when possible and preparing meals at home to reduce plastic exposure. "Do not use plastic cutting boards or plastic utensils when cooking," she says.

4) Steer clear of drinks in plastic bottles. Choose glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers for storing food. And don't wash your dishes with plastic-covered dishwasher pods.

5) Opt for clothes made of natural fabrics. "People often don't realize that synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, acrylic, or fleece fabrics are made from plastic and shed microplastics when washed and discarded, so choosing natural fabrics like cotton or wool is better to reduce microplastics," she advises. "Washing clothes in cold water and not using dryer sheets also cuts down on ­microplastics and chemical exposures."

6) Clean your home, frequently. "Microplastics can collect in dust, so it's important to vacuum with filters such as the HEPA filter," Woodruff says. "Wet-mopping floors can help to further remove these particles from the home."

And leave your shoes at the door, which can help keep plastics from the outdoors from getting inside in the first place.

7) Cut back on overall plastic use. "The most important thing we need to do is reduce plastic use, especially single-use plastics like water bottles, plastic packaging, and other plastics that turn into microplastics upon disposal," she says. "Packaging is by far the No. 1 source of plastic waste, followed by clothing." (Explore "18 Ways to Live With Less Plastic" for ideas to help reduce your plastic exposure.)

This article originally appeared as "How to Help Your Body Manage Microplastics" in the November/December 2025 issue of Experience Life.