Microplastics Trigger Mitochondrial Stress in Human Liver Cells

Even if you feel fine, something you encounter every day could be silently sabotaging your energy, damaging your cells, and jamming your internal cleanup systems.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Microplastics from everyday items like water bottles disrupt liver cell function by damaging mitochondria, the energy-producing structures inside your cells

• Even low doses of common plastics triggered oxidative stress, DNA damage, and abnormal cell growth in human liver cells

• The cellular cleanup process, known as autophagy, was activated but failed to complete, leading to a buildup of damaged material and further dysfunction

• Real-world plastic fragments caused more damage than synthetic plastic beads, highlighting how the plastics you encounter daily are especially harmful

• To reduce your exposure, avoid plastic in food storage and cookware, switch to natural fibers, and filter your water; to improve mitochondrial function, eliminate vegetable oils from your diet

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Plastic pollution isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s become a biological one. You’re eating it, drinking it, and breathing it in. And while those particles are too small to see, they’re not too small to affect your health. Your liver is one of the first places these microscopic plastics land, and that’s a problem.

This organ is responsible for breaking down toxins, regulating blood sugar, producing vital proteins, and helping your body process fats. When it's under constant assault, everything downstream, from your digestion to your hormones, starts to suffer. You might not feel it yet. Microplastic exposure doesn’t trigger obvious symptoms right away.

But behind the scenes, it’s damaging the very structures your body relies on for energy and repair. That damage starts at the cellular level, inside your mitochondria — the microscopic engines that keep you alive and functioning. When they go offline, everything else follows.

Let’s explore new research that reveals how common microplastics interfere with your cellular energy, damage your liver’s internal balance, and trigger a stress response your body can’t keep up with.¹ Most importantly, I’ll show you what you can do to start protecting yourself right now.

How Microplastics Disrupt Your Liver and Drain Your Cellular Energy

In a study published in Particle and Fiber Toxicology, researchers looked at how two types of common microplastics — polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — affect human liver cells over three days.² These weren’t lab-made beads. They were actual particles extracted from everyday plastic items like water bottles, ground into tiny pieces small enough to slip into cells. The goal was to simulate the kind of plastic exposure you get in real life and see what it does to your body at the cellular level.

• Instead of dying, liver cells started multiplying too fast — When liver cells came into contact with the plastic particles, they didn’t shut down. They actually started growing faster. That sounds harmless or even good, but it's not. Uncontrolled cell growth is a red flag.

  It’s a sign that the cells are under stress and not functioning normally. This kind of response leads to problems like abnormal tissue growth or even cancer if it continues long term. And this happened at very low doses — levels of microplastic that could easily show up in your daily water or food.

• The cells showed signs of high oxidative stress — Once the plastic particles got inside the cells, they triggered a spike in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Think of ROS like sparks flying inside your body. Too many sparks damage important parts of your cells, including membranes and DNA. In this study, the liver cells exposed to plastic lit up with warning signs — clear proof that they were in a state of internal inflammation and stress.

• Their energy production system broke down — Your mitochondria are the tiny power plants in every cell. They create the energy you need to think, move, and function. But in the cells exposed to microplastics, that power system started to fail. The researchers used a dye that shows how strong the mitochondria’s energy output is. The result? A major drop. These cells were struggling to keep the lights on while also trying to handle plastic damage.

• Even the mitochondria’s DNA got damaged — Mitochondria have their own unique DNA, which helps them run efficiently. In the plastic-exposed liver cells, that DNA started to break down. This was a clear sign that the cell’s most important machinery was falling apart. Without intact mitochondrial DNA, your cells can’t produce energy, repair themselves, or carry out basic functions. It's like trying to run a factory with no power and a broken instruction manual.

The Cleanup Crew Fails Under Pressure

Normally, when your cells detect damage, they kick into a process called autophagy. That’s your body’s internal cleanup crew. It finds and breaks down damaged parts so new ones can be made. But in this case, the system jammed. While the cleanup signals turned on, the final step of breaking down the waste didn’t happen. That means the cells filled up with more and more damaged material, making it harder to recover.

• Blocking the cleanup system made things worse — To test whether the broken cleanup process was helping or hurting, scientists blocked it completely. What happened next was telling: damage markers shot up even higher. That confirmed that autophagy had been activated but wasn’t finishing the job. It’s like starting a dishwasher cycle that never drains. The dirty water just builds up.

• Microscope images revealed a visual mess inside the cells — Using fluorescent markers, the researchers were able to literally see the damage piling up. Plastic-treated cells glowed more brightly than healthy ones — proof that the cleanup vesicles were building up and not going anywhere. Over time, this internal mess leads to even more stress, malfunction, and loss of control inside the cell.

• Plastic from real-world sources caused more harm than synthetic beads — Unlike other studies that used perfectly round plastic particles made in labs, this one used irregular fragments from used PET bottles. These pieces were more jagged, oxidized, and chemically reactive, just like the plastic you’re exposed to in bottled water, household dust, and food packaging. That made them even more disruptive once inside the body.

• Multiple problems hit the cells all at once — The research showed a chain reaction of damage: oxidative stress triggered mitochondrial breakdown, which then led to damaged DNA, energy failure, and a jammed cleanup process. The cell was under attack from every angle, with no time to recover or repair. For an organ like your liver, which is constantly working to detox your body, this kind of stress isn’t sustainable.

• Everyday plastic exposure has real biological consequences — These weren’t high-dose exposures or exotic chemicals. The plastics used in this study are already in your water, food, and environment. That means your liver is likely dealing with this kind of damage on a regular basis. And as this study shows, even small, repeated exposures are enough to push your cells into dysfunction, inflammation, and long-term breakdown.

Natural Strategies to Eliminate Microplastics Are Being Explored

Studies are now looking at strategies to help the human body filter, trap, and eliminate microplastics before they can spread throughout your other systems. These methods offer a multi-angle approach to help reduce your internal plastic load and support overall health. I’ve recently written a paper discussing these methods in detail, and while it is still under peer-review, I’ve provided the key findings below.

• Cross-linked psyllium could help eliminate microplastics — One key system that plays a role in removing microplastics from your body is your gut. A 2024 study showed that acrylamide cross-linked psyllium (PLP-AM) removed over 92% of common plastic types like polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from water.

  Because of its high swelling ability and sticky, gel-like texture, cross-linked psyllium could be adapted to work inside the gut, where it may trap plastic particles before they’re absorbed into the body. While the study was conducted in a water treatment setting, the results are also promising for human health.³

• Chitosan, a natural fiber derived from shellfish, also shows promise for clearing microplastics from your body — A recent animal study published in Scientific Reports found that rats given a chitosan-enriched diet were able to eliminate about 115% of the polyethylene microplastics they were fed, compared to just 84% in the control group.

  This suggests that chitosan not only helps bind and eliminate new plastic particles but might even help pull out some that were already absorbed. However, while it's generally considered safe and already used in supplements, people with shellfish allergies are advised to steer clear of it.⁴

  Psyllium and chitosan work through physical adsorption, where hydrophobic (water-repelling) and electrostatic forces stick microplastic particles to the fiber, keeping them from being absorbed. However, one drawback with these binders is that they can also soak up nutrients if not timed carefully. Hence, they need to be used strategically to provide the most benefit, such as ingesting them with processed or packaged foods, which are more likely to contain plastics.

• Certain beneficial bacteria strains can help clear microplastics from the gut — A 2025 animal study found that two specific strains, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DT66 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DT88, were able to bind to and eliminate tiny polystyrene particles in lab tests.

  These probiotics work by forming protective biofilms that trap plastic particles, making them easier to flush out.⁵ When combined with dietary fibers like psyllium and chitosan, the result could be a more effective and natural way to sweep microplastics out of the gut before they’re absorbed.

• The liver also plays an essential role in clearing microplastics from the bloodstream — Specialized immune cells in the liver, known as Kupffer cells, help trap these foreign particles and route them into bile for elimination via the intestines. However, while this method may work on smaller plastics, larger ones can linger and build up, especially if your liver function is compromised.

  To support this natural detox pathway, researchers are studying the use of compounds like ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its variant tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), which stimulate bile production and improve particle flow out of the liver.

• Researchers are also looking at strategies to enhance autophagy to eliminate microplastics — Autophagy is your body's natural cellular recycling system. Researchers are looking at compounds that can help promote this system, mainly rapamycin and spermidine.

  Rapamycin works by inhibiting the mTOR pathway, a nutrient-sensing mechanism that normally suppresses autophagy. When mTOR is turned off, cells ramp up their cleanup efforts, forming membranes that can collect and isolate plastic particles for breakdown or removal.

  Meanwhile, spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine found in foods that enhances cellular resilience and supports the clearance of toxic substances. In lab and animal studies, the combination of spermidine and rapamycin helped reverse mitochondrial dysfunction and reduce oxidative stress caused by microplastics.

The table below summarizes these novel strategies to eliminate microplastics, including their mechanisms of action, how much testing has been done, and important safety considerations. It shows that although several different approaches may be needed, clearing plastics from your body naturally is possible. Of course, reducing your exposure is still the ideal preliminary course of action.

How to Protect Your Liver and Mitochondria from Microplastic Damage

If microplastics are already damaging your liver cells at the cellular level, then waiting for regulators to fix the environment isn’t enough. You need to start removing the source of exposure and strengthening your body’s defenses today. These steps aren’t about detox gimmicks — they’re about restoring the internal energy systems your health depends on. Think of your liver like your body’s daily janitor. If it’s overworked, nothing else stays clean.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to make smart choices consistently. If you drink bottled water daily or cook with plastics, this is especially urgent. These steps are designed to reduce your exposure and restore your mitochondrial function so your cells start working the way they were designed to. Here’s what I recommend you start doing right now:

1. Stop ingesting microplastics at home by changing how you store, heat, and consume food — Heating plastic, including when microwaving leftovers or leaving bottled water in a hot car, causes microplastics to leach into your food and drink. Toss the plastic storage containers and water bottles.

   Switch to glass, stainless steel, or ceramic for everything you heat, drink from or store food in. If you use a plastic coffee maker, consider upgrading to a glass or stainless steel French press or percolator. This one shift will significantly cut your daily exposure.

2. Filter your water with a system that removes microplastics and chemical contaminants — Tap water, bottled water, and even many “purified” sources are already testing positive for microplastic particles. Use a high-quality water filtration system that removes particles down to the micron level. Look for a system that also filters out PFAS “forever chemicals” and heavy metals, both of which worsen mitochondrial stress.

   For those renting or traveling, a high-quality countertop filter is still far better than doing nothing. If your water is hard, boiling it before use dramatically reduces microplastics.⁶

3. Strengthen your mitochondria by getting rid of vegetable oils — If you want your mitochondria to recover from microplastic damage, stop feeding them toxins. The worst offenders are vegetable oils like canola, soy, corn, sunflower, safflower, and all “vegetable oil” blends.

   These oils are high in linoleic acid (LA), a polyunsaturated fat that breaks your mitochondria and makes your cells more vulnerable to stress. Replace them with tallow, ghee, or grass fed butter. If you’re cooking at home, this one swap alone could cut your LA intake significantly.

4. Stop wearing and cooking with plastic to lower your exposure across the board — If you’re still using plastic cutting boards, cooking utensils, or wearing synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, or acrylic, you’re adding to your microplastic load every day. Those cutting boards shed plastic into your food, and synthetic clothes release fibers into your home and washing machine. Swap plastic boards for wood or glass, and choose stainless steel utensils.

   When it comes to clothes, opt for organic cotton, linen, or wool. For the synthetic pieces you already own, wash them less frequently, line dry when possible, and use a microfiber-catching laundry bag to trap loose fibers. These small steps keep plastic out of your meals, your bloodstream, and the water supply.

5. Consider natural progesterone to counter the hormonal effects of plastic exposure — Many plastics act like estrogen in your body, disrupting your hormonal balance and making it harder for your cells to function normally. If you’re dealing with symptoms like mood swings, weight gain, or chronic fatigue, you could be dealing with estrogen dominance.

   Natural progesterone helps restore balance. It works as a direct counter to the estrogenic effect of plastics and helps your body regain a healthier hormonal rhythm.

How to Use Progesterone

Before you consider using progesterone, it is important to understand that it is not a magic bullet, and that you get the most benefit by implementing a Bioenergetic diet approach that allows you to effectively burn glucose as your primary fuel without backing up electrons in your mitochondria that reduces your energy production. My new book, "Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Longevity and Joy," covers this process in great detail.

Once you have dialed in your diet, an effective strategy that can help counteract estrogen excess is to take transmucosal progesterone (i.e., applied to your gums, not oral or transdermal), which is a natural estrogen antagonist. Progesterone is one of only three hormones I believe many adults can benefit from. (The other two are DHEA and pregnenolone.)

I do not recommend transdermal progesterone, as your skin expresses high levels of 5-alpha reductase enzyme, which causes a significant portion of the progesterone you're taking to be irreversibly converted primarily into allopregnanolone and cannot be converted back into progesterone.

Ideal Way to Administer Progesterone

Please note that when progesterone is used transmucosally on your gums as I advise, the FDA believes that somehow converts it into a drug and prohibits any company from advising that on its label. This is why companies promote their progesterone products as "topical."

However, please understand that it is perfectly legal for any physician to recommend an off-label indication for a drug to their patient. In this case, progesterone is a natural hormone and not a drug and is very safe even in high doses. This is unlike synthetic progesterone called progestins that are used by drug companies, but frequently, and incorrectly, referred.

Dr. Ray Peat has done the seminal work in progesterone and probably was the world's greatest expert on progesterone. He wrote his Ph.D. on estrogen in 1982 and spent most of his professional career documenting the need to counteract the dangers of excess estrogen with low-LA diets and transmucosal progesterone supplementation.

He determined that most solvents do not dissolve progesterone well and discovered that vitamin E is the best solvent to optimally provide progesterone in your tissue. Vitamin E also protects you against damage from LA. You just need to be very careful about which vitamin E you use as most supplemental vitamin E on the market is worse than worthless and will cause you harm not benefit.

It is imperative to avoid using any synthetic vitamin E (alpha tocopherol acetate — the acetate indicates that it's synthetic). Natural vitamin E will be labeled "d alpha tocopherol." This is the pure D isomer, which is what your body can use.

There are also other vitamin E isomers, and you want the complete spectrum of tocopherols and tocotrienols, specifically the beta, gamma, and delta types, in the effective D isomer. As an example of an ideal vitamin E, you can look at the label on our vitamin E in our store. You can use any brand that has a similar label.

You can purchase pharmaceutical grade bioidentical progesterone as Progesterone Powder, Bioidentical Micronized Powder, 10 grams for about $40 on many online stores like Amazon. That is nearly a year's supply, depending on the dose you choose.

However, you will need to purchase some small stainless steel measuring spoons as you will need a 1/64 tsp, which is 25 mg and a 1/32 tsp, which is 50 mg. A normal dose is typically 25 to 50 mg and is taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed, as it has an anti-cortisol function and will increase GABA levels for a good night's sleep.

If you are a menstruating woman, you should take the progesterone during the luteal phase or the last half of your cycle, which can be determined by starting 10 days after the first day of your period and stopping the progesterone when your period starts.

If you are a male or non-menstruating woman, you can take the progesterone every day for four to six months and then cycle off for one week. The best time of day to take progesterone is 30 to 60 minutes before bed as it has an anti-cortisol function and will increase GABA levels for a good night's sleep.

This is what I have been personally doing for over a year with very good results. I am a physician so do not have any problems doing this. If you aren't a physician, you should consult one before using this therapy, as transmucosal progesterone therapy requires a doctor's prescription.

FAQs About Microplastics and Mitochondria

Q: What did the new study reveal about microplastics and liver health?

A: The study published in Particle and Fiber Toxicology found that two common microplastics triggered stress responses in human liver cells. These plastics caused oxidative stress, mitochondrial breakdown, DNA damage, and a failed cellular cleanup process called autophagy, even at low doses that mimic real-world exposure.

Q: Why are mitochondria so important, and how do plastics affect them?

A: Mitochondria are your cells' power plants. They create the energy needed for your body to function. The study showed that microplastics disrupted mitochondrial energy production and damaged their DNA. This leaves your cells low on energy and unable to repair themselves properly, increasing long-term risk of disease and degeneration.

Q: Are real-world plastics more dangerous than synthetic lab-made ones?

A: Yes. The researchers used plastic fragments extracted from used PET water bottles, which are more irregular and chemically reactive than clean lab-made beads. These real-world plastics caused more severe damage, suggesting that the types of plastic you’re actually exposed to in daily life are even more harmful to your cells.

Q: How does microplastic exposure interfere with my body’s natural detox system?

A: Your liver relies on a process called autophagy to clear out damaged cell parts. The study found that microplastics triggered this cleanup response but blocked it from completing. Damaged material piled up inside the cells, leading to even more stress and dysfunction over time.

Q: What are the most effective ways to lower my microplastic exposure?

A: Start by eliminating heated plastic food containers, using a water filter that removes microplastics, and removing vegetable oils from your diet to protect mitochondria. Wear natural fibers like cotton and wool, and avoid plastic cutting boards and utensils. These daily actions reduce your body burden and support long-term liver and cellular health.

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1. Particle and Fiber Toxicology June 17, 2025, 22:17

2. Particle and Fiber Toxicology June 17, 2025, 22:17

3. ChemistrySelect June 2024, 9(21)

4. Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 23;15:14041

5. Front Microbiol. 2025 Jan 10;15:1522794

6. Environmental Science & Technology Letters February 28, 2024