Microplastics have become one of the biggest environmental health stories of recent years. These tiny plastic particles have now been detected in human blood, lungs, arteries, placentas, and many other tissues, leading many people to ask an obvious question: can we get them out? The internet certainly thinks so. Search for "microplastic detox," and you'll find everything from smoothies and supplements to elaborate cleanse programs that claim to flush plastic from your system.

Unfortunately, the truth is that scientists have not yet discovered a proven way to remove microplastics that have already accumulated throughout the body.

Still, emerging research suggests we may be able to reduce the absorption of newly ingested particles, increase the elimination of those still passing through the digestive tract, and lessen some of the damage they cause.

What happens to microplastics in the body?

Microplastics enter our bodies through food, drinking water, and the air we breathe. Fortunately, not every particle ends up lodged in our tissues. Larger particles generally remain in the digestive tract and pass out through the stool. Smaller particles, however, may cross the intestinal barrier, enter the bloodstream, and eventually reach organs throughout the body.

Researchers have now detected microplastics in tissues including the liver, kidneys, lungs, placenta, blood vessels, and even the brain. Exactly how long these particles remain there, and whether they can ever be removed remain among the biggest unanswered questions in environmental health.

Can you detox microplastics?

At present, no food, supplement, juice cleanse, or commercial detox product has been shown in human clinical trials to remove microplastics already stored throughout the body. Even more advanced ideas, such as filtering microplastics from the blood using therapeutic apheresis, remain speculative. But that doesn't mean there's nothing we can do. Instead of searching for a miracle detox, researchers are increasingly focusing on ways to help the body deal with particles before they become a larger problem.

4 strategies showing promise

1. Eat more fibre Dietary fibre may be the single most promising nutritional strategy. Beyond keeping us regular, many fibres can bind unwanted substances within the intestine, support beneficial gut bacteria, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and promote healthy transit through the digestive tract. Since microplastics appear to damage the gut lining and disrupt the microbiome, these effects may be especially valuable.

Fibre probably isn't pulling plastic out of your bloodstream or brain. However, it may help reduce the amount absorbed into the body in the first place while encouraging particles already inside the gut to leave through normal bowel movements.

2. Chitosan is one to watch Aside from increasing fibre intake generally, one type deserves special mention. One of the most intriguing compounds discussed in recent research is chitosan, a fibre-like substance derived from chitin, the structural material found in shellfish and mushrooms. Laboratory studies suggest that chitosan has an unusually strong affinity for binding to microplastics due to its unique chemical structure.

At this stage, however, nearly all of the evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies rather than human clinical trials. Nevertheless, chitosan is promising, and existing science could soon pave the way for more conclusive controlled studies.

3. Certain probiotics, and perhaps kimchi, are showing promise Perhaps the most exciting research so far has come from probiotics. In one recent study, scientists screened 784 bacterial strains looking for microbes capable of binding microplastics. Two stood out: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DT66 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DT88. In mice, these probiotics increased fecal excretion of microplastics by approximately 34 per cent, reduced the amount remaining in the intestine by 67 per cent, and lowered intestinal inflammation to boot.

More recently, researchers identified another promising strain, Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656, isolated from kimchi. In mice, it more than doubled nanoplastic excretion under experimental conditions.

This doesn't mean eating kimchi will suddenly detox your body. The beneficial effects appear to depend on very specific bacterial strains, and we don't yet know whether ordinary fermented foods or commercial probiotic supplements produce similar results in humans. Still, it remains one of the most fascinating areas of current research. There also seems to be little harm in getting more kimchi into the diet- a fermented superfood regardless of the microplastics question.

4. Eat plenty of colourful plant foods Even if antioxidants can't remove microplastics themselves, they may help reduce some of the oxidative stress and inflammation these particles appear to trigger.

Colourful fruits and vegetables, legumes, herbs, spices, nuts, and whole grains provide thousands of plant compounds that help support the body's own protective systems. While this isn't detoxification in the traditional sense, reducing chronic inflammation may lessen some of the biological effects associated with ongoing microplastic exposure.

The bottom line

There is currently no scientifically proven way to detoxify microplastics that have already accumulated throughout the body. If someone claims to have one, skepticism is warranted.

However, this field is advancing rapidly. Emerging evidence suggests that dietary fibre, chitosan, and certain probiotic strains may help reduce absorption and improve elimination of microplastics that still pass through the digestive tract, while antioxidant-rich diets may help reduce some of the inflammation they cause.

For now, the most evidence-based strategy remains surprisingly simple: reduce your exposure where possible, eat a minimally processed, fibre-rich diet, and support the systems your body already uses to protect itself.

Lead photo by FlyD on Unsplash.