Fiber2026

The Plastic Within: Micro- and Nanoplastics in Human Tissues and the Nutritional Context for Exposure Mitigation.

Alotaishan Sara, Ahmad Manal, Sewify Khaled — Nutrition and metabolic insights

Summary

Tiny plastic particles are increasingly found in human tissues, raising concerns about their potential health effects. This review explored the current understanding of these plastics in the body and how nutrition might play a supportive role. While not a proven "detox," a diet rich in fiber could help support the body's natural defenses against environmental contaminants.

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Key points

Microplastics and nanoplastics are increasingly detected in various human body tissues.
While research is ongoing, some studies suggest a potential link between these plastics and cardiovascular health issues.
A diet rich in fiber may offer a supportive role in maintaining gut health, which could indirectly help manage exposure.
More research is needed to fully understand the health impacts and effective mitigation strategies.

What the study looked at

This review aimed to understand the growing presence of micro- and nanoplastics in human tissues, investigate their potential health implications, and explore the role of nutrition in mitigating exposure. Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of scientific literature published between 2000 and 2025. They focused on studies that detected plastics in human body samples, observed health outcomes in people, and explored the biological mechanisms by which plastics might affect systems like the heart, reproductive organs, and brain. The review confirmed that tiny plastic particles are found in various human tissues, including blood, lungs, and even the brain. While direct cause-and-effect links are still being established, one notable finding suggested an association between microplastics in arterial plaques and a higher risk of serious cardiovascular events. The study also highlighted that while nutritional strategies like increasing dietary fiber are mechanistically plausible for supporting gut health and potentially reducing exposure, they are considered supportive measures rather than proven "detox" methods for removing plastics from the body.

Dietary takeaway

While research on plastics in the body is still emerging, this review suggests that a diet rich in fiber could play a supportive role in maintaining overall gut health, which might indirectly help the body manage exposure to environmental contaminants. Choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes regularly can boost your fiber intake. Remember, this is just one review, and more studies are needed to fully understand the complex relationship between diet, microplastics, and human health.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are increasingly detected in human tissues, prompting concern about potential biological effects. Yet, for most outcomes, the literature remains dominated by detection studies and preclinical toxicology, with limited human dose-response data. METHODS: We conducted a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature (2000-2025), prioritizing human biomonitoring and tissue-detection studies, observational health-outcome studies, and mechanistic evidence that plausibly links exposure to cardiometabolic, reproductive, and neuroinflammatory pathways. Certainty of evidence was appraised using GRADE principles where applicable and explicitly separated from mechanistic plausibility. RESULTS: MPs/NPs have been reported in blood, lung, placenta, atherosclerotic plaques, brain, liver, and testicular tissue. The most clinically salient human outcome signal to date is an association between plaque microplastics and subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events in an observational cohort (hazard ratio 4.53, 95% CI 2.00-10.27). However, polymer quantification approaches vary (particle counts vs polymer mass), contamination control is method-dependent, and inter-study comparability remains limited. CONCLUSION: The current evidence base supports aggressive exposure reduction as the most defensible "first-line" strategy. Nutritional approaches (dietary fiber, gut-barrier support, and microbiome modulation) are best framed as adjunctive, mechanistically plausible risk-mitigation strategies rather than proven methods to remove plastics from the body. Well-designed human trials and standardized analytical protocols are needed before clinical "detoxification" claims can be justified.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.1177/11786388261460288