{"id":5223,"date":"2026-06-17T11:57:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/?p=5223"},"modified":"2026-06-17T11:57:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:57:15","slug":"microplastics-in-your-bloodstream-what-scientists-are-finding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/microplastics-in-your-bloodstream-what-scientists-are-finding","title":{"rendered":"Microplastics in Your Bloodstream \u2014 What Scientists Are Finding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The importance of microplastics\u2014tiny plastic fragments\u2014came to light in the late 20th century. However, the issue gained significant scientific and public attention in the early 2000s as researchers documented the widespread presence of microplastics in our oceans, freshwater systems, soil, food chain, air, and even our bodies. In this article, we\u2019ll discuss how microplastics enter our bodies and what effects they may have on our health and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Microplastics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic particles\u2014less than 5 millimeters (0.2 inch) in size\u2014that contaminate our environment, food, and bodies. They are considered \u201cprimary\u201d when they\u2019re manufactured in a small size, or \u201csecondary\u201d when they result from larger plastic products sloughing off tiny particles as they degrade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Microplastics are becoming increasingly rampant, but are they a threat to our health?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Do Microplastics Get in Our Food Chain?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microplastics enter the food chain when primary and secondary microplastics disperse through oceans, freshwater, soil, and the air, leading to biological uptake. These particles are ingested by small organisms such as plankton and insects, which are then eaten by larger species, allowing microplastics to move up the food web\u2014a process known as \u201cbiomagnification.\u201d In agriculture, microplastics can contaminate crops through polluted soil, water, or air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do Microplastics Get Into Our Body?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Microplastics enter the human body primarily through ingestion, inhalation, and, to a lesser extent, skin contact. People routinely consume microplastics in contaminated food and beverages (including bottled water). Inhalation is another significant pathway, as microscopic plastic particles suspended in the air can be breathed into the lungs, especially in urban or enclosed environments. While the skin is generally an effective barrier, very small particles or those in certain formulations (such as cosmetics) may accumulate on the surface of the skin and penetrate its barriers. This can also happen from wearing certain fabrics or touching some cleaning supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Happens to Microplastics in Our Body?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It appears that once inside the body, some microplastics pass through without being absorbed, but the smallest particles may cross biological barriers and enter the bloodstream and tissues, raising ongoing questions about potential health effects. Microplastics have been detected in human blood, brain, breastmilk, reproductive organs, and other body tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do Microplastics Affect Our Health?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We currently know surprisingly little about what happens to these unnatural toxins once they enter our body. In its 2022 report \u201cDietary and inhalation exposure to nano- and microplastic particles and potential implications for human health<\/a>,\u201d the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that most research into microplastics has centered on the content in fish and other species, and very limited data are available for humans. We know little about how much gets into and stays in the human body, and we have no data that clarify what the health risks may be, if any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, existing studies suggest that very small particles\u2014especially particles between 1 and 1000 nanometers (nm) in size (\u201cnanoplastics\u201d)\u2014may trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupt immune and other bodily functions. Some microplastics can also carry absorbed environmental toxins or infectious agents that may cause biological effects on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Microplastics in our body may create \u201coxidative stress,\u201d where free radical chemicals damage our body cells.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Direct evidence linking microplastics to specific diseases or other health effects is lacking. As a result, most scientists view microplastics as a potential public health concern, but one that requires further studies to clarify the risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can We Limit Our Exposure?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The WHO has focused its recommendations for minimizing exposure on reducing the input of microplastics into the environment. For example, they recommend that we:<\/p>\n\n\n\n