Recent human data show that microplastics disrupt our gut (decrease in good bacteria, alteration of the intestinal barrier), but a well-nourished microbiota thanks to a plant-rich diet possesses a great capacity for adaptation to repair this damage.

noli's read

The creator relies on a review of scientific literature to highlight the impact of microplastics on our intestinal well-being. Indeed, observational studies, such as that by Yan et al. (2022) published in Environmental Science & Technology, associate the presence of microplastics with microbiota imbalances in humans. However, direct evidence showing that microplastics actively degrade the intestinal barrier still comes mostly from laboratory cell models and animal studies, rather than rigorous human clinical trials. Furthermore, the claim that nourishing one's microbiota specifically repairs plastic-related damage is an appealing but unproven extrapolation. Numerous meta-analyses, including that by Barber et al. (2020), nevertheless confirm that a fiber-rich diet naturally strengthens the intestinal barrier. Adopting a diverse diet therefore remains an excellent global protection strategy, even if the direct causal link with resistance to plastics remains to be proven.

the sources

1. 1Marfella R, Prattichizzo F, Sardu C, et al. 2024
2. 2Vethaak AD, Legler J 2021
3. 3McDonald D et al. (American Gut Project) 2018
4. 4Reynolds A et al. 2019