Microplastics are everywhere - in the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe. Increasingly, we hear about the dangers of these tiny particles - but what happens when they make their way into our bodies; and what could it mean for our health, and the environment?
In this episode I speak to microplastics researcher Dana Zhaxylykova, to discover what we should know about micro and nanoplastics, and their effects on the human body and world as a whole - where we’re exposed to them, how the food chain and environment is impacted, and how they may interact with our cells, organs and immune system. We explore what the science tells us so far, what remains uncertain, and whether there are practical steps we can take to reduce our exposure.
Timestamps
(0:00) Intro - What are microplastics?
(1:22) Why are we hearing so much about microplastics now?
(3:06) Environmental worries of plastic pollution
(7:40) Human health impacts
(8:57) The “credit card-sized” ingestion estimate
(9:34) The main culprits of exposure to microplastics
(12:29) How harm from micro and nano plastics occurs
(15:59) Can microplastics be removed from the body?
(18:30) Research into health effects
(19:45) Impacts of microplastics on the gut
(21:28) How will microplastics shape the planet going forward?
(22:12) How tardigrades are immune and use microplastics to travel
(23:25) How could enzymes and probiotics help?
(26:25) Are particular areas of the world disproportionately affected?
(29:09) What regulations and controls are there?
(32:22) Top tips for people to reduce microplastic burden
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Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, Founder of LOAM Science and Chief of Science at Throne Science, dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.
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