WHAT ARE MICROPLASTICS AND WHY THEY MATTER
A new study has discovered that plastic particles were found in nine out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Researchers also discovered that these microplastics were present at higher concentrations in cancerous tumors, than in nearby noncancerous prostate tissue. While research is preliminary, it’s another piece of evidence considered by Comprehensive Cancer Centers illustrating the dangers of microplastics.
Microplastics, fragments smaller than 5 millimeters, are increasingly becoming part of our biological reality. They have been detected in human blood, lung tissue, breast milk, and even the placenta. While the long-term implications are still being mapped by the scientific community, it’s a good idea to realign your habits as much as possible in how you eat, drink, and maintain you and your family’s living environment.
The following outlines ways to reduce microplastic intake:
Changing How We Look at Water
Water is the primary source of microplastic ingestion. Bottled water alone contains, on average, twenty times more plastic particles than tap water. Here are some ways to stay hydrated in Las Vegas’s hot and/or dry climate, while reducing exposure:
- No Single-Use Plastic: The friction of opening a plastic cap and the degradation of the bottle wall releases thousands of particles into the liquid. Switch to glass or food-grade stainless steel containers.
- High-Quality Filtration: Not all filters are created equal. To catch microplastics, you need systems rated for sub-micron filtration.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO): The gold standard, stripping almost all suspended solids.
- Carbon Block Filters: Ensure they are rated to filter particles smaller than 1 micron.
- Avoid Plastic Tea Bags: Many premium silky tea bags are actually made of nylon or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Steeping them at 95°C releases billions of microplastics and nanoplastics into a single cup. Use loose-leaf tea with stainless-steel infusers.
How to Reheat Your Foods
Heat is a catalyst for plastic degradation. When plastic is heated, the polymer structure weakens, causing additives and micro-fragments to leach directly into food. Here are ways to ensure safer food prep that reduces plastic exposure:
- Microwaves: Never microwave food in plastic containers, even those labeled microwave safe. This label usually means the plastic won’t melt, not that it won’t leach. Transfer food to glass or ceramic before heating.
- Hot Take-Out: Avoid pouring boiling coffee into plastic-lined paper cups or eating steaming hot soup out of polystyrene (Styrofoam) containers. If you frequent a coffee shop, bring your own silicone or glass mug.
- Kitchen Utensils: Replace plastic spatulas and slotted spoons with wooden, bamboo, or stainless steel alternatives. High-heat frying of plastic spatulas causes chemical ingestion.
Rethinking Food Sourcing and Storage
The way we store and buy food dictates a large portion of our daily exposure. Storage solutions include:
- Use Glass: Use Mason jars or glass containers with silicone seals. If you must use plastic lids, ensure the food doesn’t touch the lid.
- Beeswax Wraps over Cling Film: Plastic wrap is often made of PVC or LDPE. For covering bowls or wrapping produce, use compostable beeswax-coated cotton wraps.
- No Plastic Cutting Boards: Knives on a plastic board create micro-grooves and release tiny plastic shards into your ingredients. Use solid wood (maple or walnut) or heavy-duty glass boards.
- Bulk Buying: Choose products in glass jars or tin cans (though many cans have thin plastic linings, glass is always superior
- Produce Bags: Skip the thin green plastic bags in the produce aisle. Use mesh cotton bags or simply let your vegetables roll naked in the cart, as you’re going to wash them anyway.
Know the Food Chain
Microplastics move up the food chain. Smaller organisms consume them, and they become more concentrated in larger predators. Smarter consumption strategies include:
- Seafood: Shellfish (clams, oysters, mussels) are filter feeders; they ingest plastic from the water and keep it in their digestive tracts, which humans then eat whole. Limit consumption of these. Choose smaller species of fish and ensure they are properly gutted, as the highest concentration of plastic is usually found in the digestive organs.
- Salt Quality: Commercial sea salts contain microplastics from ocean pollution. Look for high-quality rock salt or Himalayan pink salt, which is mined from ancient sea beds that predate the plastic age.
- Wash Everything: Microplastics settle on the surface of fruits and vegetables via atmospheric dust. A thorough rinse under filtered water can remove a significant portion of surface-level contamination.
Controlling Indoor Dust
We intake a massive amount of plastic through the lungs. Domestic dust is heavily composed of microfibers from synthetic carpets, upholstery, and clothing made from polyester, acrylic and nylon. You can reduce these kinds of exposures by taking the following steps:
- No Shoes Indoors: Shoes track in microplastics and pesticides from the outside world. Leave them at the door to keep the floor load low.
- Vacuum with HEPA: Standard vacuums often blow small particles back into the air. Use a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter to trap micro-fragments.
- Natural Fibers: When replacing home goods, opt for wool, cotton, hemp, or linen. Synthetic carpets are essentially giant plastic sheds that degrade over time as you walk on them.
Doing the Laundry
When you wash a synthetic fleece or polyester shirt, millions of microfibers are released into the wastewater. You can do laundry better by washing with cold water and less often. High heat and agitation break down fibers faster. Use products like the Cora Ball or a specialized laundry bag that captures fibers before they leave the machine. Air dry when you can. Dryers are aggressive on clothes and contribute to airborne plastic dust in your home.
Cosmetics
Microbeads were largely banned in many countries, but liquid plastics (polymers used as thickeners or film-formers) are still found in lotions, sunscreens, and makeup. You can make smarter decisions by doing the following:
- Read the Labels: Avoid ingredients like Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and Nylon.
- Eco-Labels: Look for Plastic Free certifications on skincare products.
- Plastic-Free Toiletry Swaps: Switch to bamboo toothbrushes, silk dental floss, and bar soaps/shampoos to reduce plastic bottle usage.
Since it is impossible to achieve zero exposure, you must also focus on your body’s ability to handle environmental stressors. A diet high in natural fiber helps clean the digestive tract, potentially reducing the transit time of ingested particulates.
Consuming foods high in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and polyphenols (berries, leafy greens, nuts) also provides your cells with tools to combat potential inflammation, which can retain plastics.
While research is still emerging on the excretion of microplastics through sweat, saunas, and exercise support the body’s natural detoxification pathways (the lymphatic system and kidneys).
The goal of reducing microplastic intake is not to live in a state of fear. Total avoidance is currently impossible in the modern world. However, by changing the variables we can control, specifically how we heat our food, what we drink out of, the dust in our homes, and how much exercise we get, we can dramatically reduce cumulative burdens on our biological systems.
Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help
Physicians at Comprehensive Cancer Centers are proud to provide expert care from a multidisciplinary team of compassionate cancer specialists. To schedule an appointment, please call 702-952-3350.
The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.