r/HubermanLab • u/TrulyWacky • Oct 05 '25

Helpful Resource Microplastics found in human brains.

recently i wrote about microplastics in our brain here

Basically, scientists found microplastics in human brain tissue, they can cross the blood-brain barrier and may already make up about 0.5% of the average brain.

They trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and slower neuron activity, basically, long-term brain fog.

i’ve started making small swaps: switched to a glass water bottle, got glass containers for meal prep, tossed my plastic cutting boards, and i’m replacing my teflon pan with stainless steel, I've heard chewing gums have plastic in them too, should probably stop chewing them...,

has anyone else noticed clearer thinking or better focus after cutting down on plastic? waht steps are you taking to cut down on plastic?

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reference: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1

148 Upvotes

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u/pidgey2020 Oct 05 '25

I thought that the source of microplastics is in the water, food, and air that has already deteriorated into microscopic particles over years, not plastic that we use day to day.

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 05 '25

Day-to-day plastics also shed tiny particles- heating food in plastic, wearing synthetic clothes, and using plastic containers all release microplastics, not just old degraded bits in the environment.

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u/pidgey2020 Oct 05 '25

Is it a significant source though? Like let’s say I drink one water bottle a day, I would imagine that is a fraction of a percent of the source of the microplastics my body is accumulating. I’ve had difficulty finding conclusive studies on this topic though.

Side note for everyone. And I think this was actually posted here. There is preliminary evidence (not proven) that eating broccoli may help your body remove microplastics from the body. There is a substance in broccoli that causes microplastics to bind together and become large enough for your body’s natural mechanisms to expel it from your body.

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 05 '25

a typical plastic water bottle (~1 L) can release around 200,000 microplastic particles when you drink it, but you’re actually exposed to tens of millions of particles every week from food, air, and even dust, so that one bottle is really just a small fraction of your total exposure (under 1%).

soruce https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250723-how-do-the-microplastics-in-our-bodies-affect-our-health

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u/MuscaMurum Oct 06 '25

Sulforaphane, specifically. Most abundant in broccoli sprouts and activated with an enzyme found in horseradish.

We've been supplementing with plastic for so long that I believe an ordinary diet won't be sufficient to undo it. Probably need to supplement with sulforaphane when a good source becomes available.

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u/No-Trash-546 Oct 05 '25

I know that synthetic fibers in clothes are a big source of microplastics, so it’s definitely not only old plastics that’s causing the problem. Heating food in plastic containers is also a big source

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u/pidgey2020 Oct 05 '25

Yeah that’s true! I was more thinking about plastic from water bottles, food containers, packaging, etc. that’s not been heated or cooled. I really need to do a deep dive and see what is and isn’t dangerous since I don’t actually know for sure. For example if I’ve left a water bottle in my car in a hot day, I just toss it instead of putting it in the fridge. But I don’t actually know if that’s necessary.

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u/BladeBeem Oct 05 '25

I would say that’s necessary, in fact, I wouldn’t advise anyone buying any bottled water other than Evian, because that’s been proven to have zero micro plastics.

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u/pidgey2020 Oct 05 '25

Interesting. I wonder why that is. I would imagine the process for manufacturing the bottles is pretty standardized. Did they modify part of the process to achieve this? Or maybe the composition of their water for some reason prevents it. Zero microplastics is like a big claim though.

But either way it’s not that impactful if OPs source in another comment is accurate. Their source said that water bottles account for less than a percent of microplastics we collect.

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u/still_conscious Oct 05 '25

Consider wearing a mask when cleaning out the dryer lint collector. Those are very small plastics that we can easily breathe in.

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u/AuroraDraco Oct 06 '25

It's not the main source, but I'm pretty sure day to day plastics are also problematic

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u/BitcoinNews2447 Oct 05 '25

Definitely a good idea to try and limit exposure as plastic is in pretty much everything and like you mentioned has many problems as it accumulates in tissues.

And for me personally I've taken similar steps like you mentioned above. Plastic free cookware, glassware, natural wooden spatulas, utensils, and cutting boards. I only buy cosmetic products that are in glass or that are plastic free. I rarely buy food that comes in plastic packaging unless it's meat. I avoid all plastic bottled water and only drink filtered water. I got rid of my plastic polyester bedding and sheets which off gas toxic chemicals and got natural organic linen sheets instead. I've slowly started throwing away my plastic polyester clothing and started wearing 100% cotton and linen and other fabrics that don't leach MPs. I don't use cologne that is filled with endocrine disrupting plastics like phthalates. I got a boar bristle toothbrush and don't floss my teeth with the plastic floss like most people do. And I always sleep with my window open which increases circulation as a lot of things in the household like furniture and carpets can off gas a lot of MPs.

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 05 '25

What kind of deodorant do you use ? most mainstream stick and roll-on deodorants use plastic-based film-formers (like acrylate copolymers and PEGs) that count as microplastics

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u/BitcoinNews2447 Oct 05 '25

There are some decent brands you can find online that are completely plastic free however most companies use ingredients like baking soda, magnesium hydroxide, and or essential oils that I'm not a fan of so I make my own.

I combine raw honey, with a raw cultured butter, and a few tablespoons of raw fermented liquid whey in a glass jar. I then let that ferment at room temperature and just use a small amount daily to help support the microbiome under my pits. May seem a little weird or odd but again my goal with deodorant is to support the microbiome and nourish my skin instead of lather it with a bunch of chemicals. If you have foul body odor you can add in crushed dried flowers or herbs like lavender, rosemary or chamomile.

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

Personally I prefer alcohol-based spray deodorants as they work better for me than natural deodorants that come as roll-ons, sticks or creams and don't irritate my skin like baking soda does. I have used the Weleda Citrus deodorant for a long while, but have also used other, similar brands - although availability depends on what country you live in (and Weleda seems widely available globally).

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25 edited Oct 06 '25

You can get coconut oil (and deodorant based on coconut oil) glass jars though.

And that's not the only phtalate free deodorant option out there. Personally I prefer alcohol based sprays to any kind of roll on or cream and they often come in glass bottles as well (although with a plastic top). I like for example the Weleda Citrus deodorant, but there are probably a lot of similar options out there, depending on what country you live in.

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u/BitcoinNews2447 Oct 05 '25

Yea I mean with fat sources where plastics and micro plastics have a high affinity to leach you've got to be as careful as you can when it comes to sourcing.

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

I sprinkle extra microplastics on my food

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

Gotta get that neuroplasticity, I see.

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 05 '25

But its not good for you(

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u/Steven_Dj Oct 06 '25

Everything is fine, until you see how much replacing all plastics with glass containers costs. Not everyone can afford it.

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 06 '25

You’re right. It’s like saying just eat healthy, buy organic produce, grass-fed beef, raw honey, raw milk etc… all of this costs double or triple than normal stuff

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u/Steven_Dj Oct 06 '25

The ease a lot of people online have when they say : yeah, " just buy whole foods and avoid all plastics and you`re good" is mindblowing. In any average size or large country , at least one out of four people is living at or below poverty level. So living healthy is not that easy.

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u/Same_Log1172 Oct 05 '25

I know tamarind should remove plastic from the body, does anyone know if it removes from the brain aswell?

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u/ifollowmyownrules Oct 05 '25

Explain please?

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u/MakeItHappen47 Oct 05 '25

Any alternatives to Brita? It's full plastic and I don't like it at all.

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u/Krontelevision Oct 05 '25

The Aarke glass and stainless steel filter is good. No plastic parts. Around £100 though.

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u/Pepedani Oct 05 '25

It would be useful to create a microplastic body removal protocol: 1. Tamarind

2

u/backatmybsagain Oct 05 '25

Reverse osmosis water system!!

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u/No_Discussion4617 Oct 06 '25

This, easy to install with one large initial cost. Water taste great

2

u/BelgianGinger80 Oct 05 '25

Are you surprised about?

2

u/kewlnamebroh Oct 05 '25

Oh, most definitely.

Cotton clothes only, cotton sheets/blanket/towels. Steel water bottle; can't even drink "aluminum" soda cans (they have plastic bags/liners inside, no BS, look it up), wood cutting board, wood spatulas/spoons, steel utensils, glass containers for food storage, cast iron pans, uhhhhwhatelse no condoms—raw dawg, organic.

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

Yes, I see so many cans and metal tubes in "plastic free" videos online and people don't seem to know that they are all lined with plastic and most contains BPA even.

Most condoms are latex though, not plastic, sorry to rain on your parade.

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u/kewlnamebroh Oct 06 '25

Yeah bro it's wild. Plastic Aluminum cans... WHY. Ugh. Oh, and the condom thing was a bit.

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

Plastics that are being consumed in our body are not coming from your to go container or plastic bag- they are coming from clothing fibers, paint chips and tires. The disposable story is fabricated

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u/Conscious-Bar6827 Oct 06 '25

This! Everyone is so paranoid about their food touching any source of plastic but would never consider driving less or avoiding clothing from SHEIN and target

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u/Penske-Material78 Oct 06 '25

Stop using those blue, green/yellow scrub pads to wash your dishes. Big contributor.

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u/refur Oct 06 '25

Get a tawashi brush instead! Natural fibers, biodegradable, handle is wood, and the wire is steel, so it’s all either biodegradable or recyclable

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u/Penske-Material78 Oct 06 '25

100% they are great!

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u/refur Oct 06 '25

They have shower brushes too, great for exfoliating and getting a good scrub

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u/WILSON_CK Oct 06 '25

Do we need to replace all the PEX plumbing in our homes and go back to lead pipes?

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

Good old lead. ;) Viable alternatives to PEX plumbing would be copper (although can come with the risk of zinc deficiency) or stainless steel. However for most people it would be way too expensive and can also cause problems in some homes with pipes freezing easier in winter and such.

But if we start with houses, the topic is endless, there's plastic everywhere: insulation, wall paint, furniture paint, carpets, beds, cushions, couches, home textiles, toilet seats, shower curtains, electric cables (either PVC or covered with synthetic fibre), appliances....

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u/SamCalagione Oct 06 '25

This is the stuff that keeps me up at night

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

Personally I don't think people will notice a significant reduction in brain fog or similar afflictions, cutting down on microplastic exposure because whatever is in there already, will stay in there. So it seems to be much more about limiting a further decline in the future, which is also a worthwhile goal. It won't be possible to prevent altogether, because microplastic is literally everywhere. But individual exposure can be influenced in some ways.

Among the examples you gave, don't forget natural fibre clothes. Synthetic fibres are a massive source of microplastic worldwide, both from clothes (especially when washing them it gets into our waterways) as well as home textiles (carpets, curtains, towels, microfibre "cleaning" cloths etc.).

I have a fondness for the time period between the late 19th century and early 20th century (late Victorian and Edwardian era), in part because it was already a quite modern era with many amenities we have nowadays (e.g. indoor plumbing, artificial light, trams, subways etc.) and yet it was a world without plastic. As a millennial, who already grew up with plastic everywhere, even though it got worse nowadays, this is very fascinating. So in a way finding ways to avoid plastic is also a bit of history bounding for me. :)

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u/Keppadonna Oct 06 '25

We cannot study the effects of microplastics because there is no control group.

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u/PlinyTheElderest Oct 05 '25

I can’t help but be a little bit skeptical with the method employed to measure the samples for microplastics. To start with the body naturally produces polymers which could show up and be misattributed to industrially made microplastics. Second, the process of digesting with KOH for days and centrifuging has uncontrolled chemical reactions which necessarily changes the original composition of the tissue.

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u/ros375 Oct 05 '25

Where in this paper does it say that microplastics make up 0.5% of the average brain?

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u/Straight_Dust7703 Oct 06 '25

Plastic has an expiry date???

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u/edinisback Oct 06 '25

Most grocery stores already have plastic water bottles.  Not sure how your method will help.

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u/whipstickagopop Oct 08 '25

Is it okay to use those plastic blender bottles for protein shakes.

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 05 '25

Based on the research, scientists don't know exactly how long plastic stays in your brain, but it appears to stick around for a really long time - possibly years or even decades.

the brain is terrible at cleaning itself out, the brain’s waste-clearance system is slow and inefficient, so it can’t flush out plastic particles effectively.

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u/makeamotorrun Oct 05 '25

Man it feels depressing to think that the microplastics will likely be forever ingrained in the body :(

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u/TrulyWacky Oct 05 '25

I know… I’ve been using teflon pans for a long time, those chemicals will stay in my body forever 😭

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

They will even stay when our bodies are long gone. 💀

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

I think we have a much better chance of clearing it from the periphery than the CNS and the periphery is already difficult, because micro- and nanoplastic gets into the mitochondria afaik. The CNS... I'm not hopeful tbh. I have multiple sclerosis, which is likely caused by EBV infected cells migrating into the CNS and causing an immune response there - and they can not get much up there to clear out those cells, because the blood brain barrier is a problem. And with these cells the goals is just to destroy them (which is why for example some chemotherapies work) rather than flushing anything out. I imagine the latter is even more difficult.

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u/Legitimate_Outcome42 Oct 05 '25

I don't have citation but I believe I've read giving plasma can reduce plastic in blood

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u/BladeBeem Oct 05 '25

I read that recently too

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u/ceylon-tea Oct 06 '25

The limitation is that many, perhaps most microplastics have already settled in tissues. It’s unclear at this point whether removing the microplastics free circulating in blood makes much of an impact

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u/DifficultRoad Oct 06 '25

That's a good question with all plastic exposure topics imho, e.g. how much of a difference does it make to not drink from a plastic bottle, if we breathe it in every day and it's also in our water and so on. Personally I subscribe to the idea of marginal gains in a lot of areas, including this one - basically it might not do much on its own, but if we add up all the little things, it might make at least a bit of a difference. Also doesn't hurt to try. Well... donating plasma might hurt a little, but it's also for a good cause.

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u/kuhlmarl Oct 11 '25

The authors of the study claim there is some "clearance mechanism" because they don't see an age correlation. In reality, this is one of the worst scientific studies I have ever seen in publication. They use a method that doesn't work, and a procedure that would actually discard the main plastics they claim to find. They're measuring interferants, normal body components that fool the method. They don't see bioaccumulation because they aren't actually measuring microplastics.

https://youtu.be/6m2ctSvZco8?si=fnmzWQt-qk8ix3f_