How to Get Microplastics Out of Your Body: What the Research Actually Says

The question arrives in our inbox regularly: "I know microplastics are in my body. How do I get them out?" It is a reasonable question, and it deserves an honest answer — which means distinguishing between what the research actually supports, what is biologically plausible but unproven, and what is pure speculation.

First, Understand What You Are Dealing With

"Microplastics" is an umbrella term that covers several distinct problems:

1. Microplastic particles — physical fragments of plastic, ranging from 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters in size

2. Plastic-associated chemicals — compounds that leach from plastic particles, including BPA, phthalates, PFAS, flame retardants, and heavy metal stabilizers

3. Nanoplastics — particles smaller than 1 micrometer that can cross cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier

These three categories behave differently in the body and require different approaches. Most of the actionable research focuses on the chemical compounds rather than the physical particles.

Reducing Chemical Burden: What Actually Works

For BPA and Phthalates: Reduce Exposure, See Results Quickly

BPA and phthalates are water-soluble and are excreted primarily in urine. This means the body can reduce its burden relatively quickly when exposure is reduced. A landmark 2011 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives by Rudel et al. placed families on a "fresh food" diet — avoiding all canned and packaged foods — for three days. Urinary BPA levels dropped by 66% and phthalate levels dropped by 53-56% within that period.

This is one of the most actionable findings in the field: reducing plastic food contact reduces measurable body burden within days. The practical implication is to avoid canned foods, avoid heating food in plastic, and switch to glass or stainless steel food storage.

For PFAS: The Situation Is More Complex

PFAS are the most persistent plastic-associated chemicals in the human body. Long-chain PFAS (PFOA, PFOS) have biological half-lives of 3.5 to 8 years — meaning it takes that long for the body to eliminate half of what is present, even with no new exposure. Short-chain PFAS have shorter half-lives but are still measured in months to years.

The primary route of PFAS elimination is through blood donation and, in women, through pregnancy and breastfeeding (which unfortunately transfers the burden to the infant). There is currently no proven medical intervention that significantly accelerates PFAS elimination in healthy adults.

Cholestyramine — a bile acid sequestrant — has been studied as a potential PFAS elimination aid. PFAS undergo enterohepatic recirculation (they are excreted in bile, reabsorbed in the intestine, and recirculated). Cholestyramine binds bile acids in the intestine and prevents reabsorption. Several small studies have shown modest reductions in PFAS levels with cholestyramine use, but the evidence is not yet strong enough for clinical recommendations. This is a prescription medication with significant side effects and should only be considered under medical supervision.

Activated charcoal operates on a similar principle — binding compounds in the gut and preventing reabsorption. It is used in acute poisoning cases. Its effectiveness for chronic PFAS reduction is not established.

The Gut Microbiome Connection

Emerging research suggests that gut bacteria play a role in metabolizing and eliminating plastic-associated chemicals. A 2021 study found that certain gut bacteria can degrade BPA. A 2022 study found associations between gut microbiome composition and PFAS body burden. This is an active area of research.

The practical implication — while the specific mechanisms are still being worked out — is that supporting gut microbiome diversity through diet (fiber, fermented foods, diverse plant foods) may support the body's ability to process and eliminate these compounds. This is not a dramatic detox claim; it is a reasonable inference from the biology.

Sweating and Sauna

Several studies have detected BPA, phthalates, and some PFAS in sweat, suggesting that sweating is a route of elimination. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health found that sweat contained higher concentrations of some heavy metals and BPA than urine, suggesting that sweating may be a more efficient elimination route for some compounds.

Infrared sauna, in particular, has been studied in the context of PFAS elimination. A 2023 study published in JAMA Network Open found that firefighters — a population with high occupational PFAS exposure — who used sauna regularly had lower PFAS blood levels than those who did not. The study was observational and cannot establish causation, but it is consistent with the biology.

Regular aerobic exercise that produces significant sweating is a reasonable, evidence-adjacent strategy.

Physical Microplastic Particles: The Harder Problem

For physical microplastic particles — as opposed to the chemicals they carry — the evidence for elimination strategies is much thinner. Particles that have been ingested and absorbed into tissue are not easily removed. The body's macrophages (immune cells) engulf foreign particles, but they cannot eliminate them from the body — they simply sequester them.

Research on nanoplastics crossing the blood-brain barrier is particularly concerning because the brain has limited mechanisms for clearing foreign particles. This is an area of active research with no established interventions.

The most honest statement is: for physical microplastic particles already in tissue, there are no proven elimination strategies. The focus must be on reducing new exposure.

The Most Evidence-Based Protocol

Based on the current research, the most defensible approach to reducing microplastic body burden is:

1. Reduce exposure — especially from food and water contact plastics. This has the strongest evidence for reducing BPA and phthalate levels.

2. Filter drinking water — a quality carbon block or reverse osmosis filter removes microplastic particles and associated chemicals from tap water.

3. Support gut health — a diverse, fiber-rich diet supports the microbiome bacteria that metabolize plastic-associated chemicals.

4. Exercise regularly — sweating appears to be a meaningful elimination route for some compounds.

5. Consider sauna — the evidence is preliminary but consistent with the biology.

6. Consult a physician about PFAS-specific interventions if you have reason to believe you have high PFAS exposure (e.g., living near a contaminated water source, occupational exposure).

What to Be Skeptical Of

The microplastic concern has generated a predictable wave of supplement and detox product marketing. Be skeptical of any product claiming to specifically "remove microplastics" from the body. No such product has been validated in peer-reviewed clinical trials. The biology of plastic particle elimination is not well enough understood to support such claims.

The most powerful intervention remains the one with the strongest evidence: stop putting more in.

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Sources: Rudel et al., Environmental Health Perspectives (2011); Olsen et al., Environmental Health Perspectives (2017); Genuis et al., Journal of Environmental and Public Health (2012); Susmann et al., JAMA Network Open (2023); Liao et al., Environmental Science and Technology (2021).