Podcast Summary: How Microplastics Are Ruining Your Health And What You Can Do About It

TRIGGERnometry – February 18, 2026
Guest: Dr. Rhonda Patrick
Hosts: Konstantin Kisin & Francis Foster

Overview

This episode dives deep into the hidden dangers of microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals—such as BPA, BPS, phthalates, and PFAS (“forever chemicals”)—and their extensive effects on human health, hormones, fertility, neurodevelopment, and overall societal well-being. Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a renowned biomedical scientist and health educator, explains the evidence behind these concerns, reveals surprising sources of exposure, discusses potential links to disorders like ADHD and autism, and provides actionable steps for listeners to protect themselves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pervasiveness of Microplastics and Plastic Chemicals

• Microplastics and their associated chemicals (BPA, BPS, phthalates, PFAS) are found in:
  • Water, food, air, and personal hygiene products.
  • Food packaging, water bottles (plastic and glass—due to lids/paint), canned goods, coffee cups, and receipts.
  • Everyday household products and even in unexpected places like gum (plastic polymers) and tea bags.

“They’re in our water. They’re in our food that we’re eating. They’re in our personal hygiene products. The other major source of microplastics is actually from the air we breathe. Receipts are terrible.”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [02:31]

2. Effects on Hormones and Fertility (Testosterone Crisis)

• Testosterone levels (and sperm counts) have dropped significantly in men over the past decades.
  • Plastics and their chemicals are strong endocrine disruptors.
  • BPA/BPS act as xenoestrogens, mimicking or blocking hormones, reducing sperm quantity and quality, interfering with testosterone and estrogen through receptor binding and enzyme (aromatase) inhibition.
  • Phthalates disrupt testosterone directly in the testes and through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
• Not just a male problem: BPA reduces IVF success rates and egg quality in women (by up to 50%).

“There’s definitely a lot of evidence suggesting that testosterone levels are dropping and sperm quality, sperm levels are dropping as well... And that’s obviously very intimately related to testosterone as well. Yeah, it’s definitely a problem.”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [03:50]

3. Developing Children and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

• Strong evidence linking maternal exposure to BPA and phthalates with increased rates of autism and ADHD in children.
• Pregnant women with the highest BPA levels are six times more likely to have a child diagnosed with autism by age 11.
• Animal studies confirm causation: high BPA in pregnant rodents → increased neurodevelopmental issues in offspring.
• Children with autism struggle to excrete BPA, leading to much higher body levels, possibly exacerbating symptoms.

“Pregnant women that have the highest levels of BPA in their urine, they’re six times more likely to have a child diagnosed with autism by the age of 11.”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [03:05], [29:32]

“[Sulforaphane] compound has been now used in two different clinical studies... and the children that got [it]...it improved the whole battery of tests that they do for the autism array of tests that they do to look at improvements and symptoms.”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [33:04]

4. Public Health Impact & Political Inaction

• Declining fertility and hormone disruption = part of the broader demographic/population crisis in developed countries.
• Links also found between exposure to plastics and increased cardiovascular disease, bone problems, anxiety, and possibly even political/cultural shifts via hormone effects on mood/behavior.
• Political will to address the crisis is lacking, possibly due to the pervasiveness of the problem and influence/lobbying by industry.

“It’s totally a public health crisis. Oh, my God. It’s like time to wake up... It is something that we need to pay attention to and we need, I think we just need more focus on it from, from, you know, everything from a public health standpoint.”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [20:51]

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On the surprising places plastics show up:

  “Tea bags themselves, particularly the ones that are like the pyramid shaped ones, like the bougie teas, billions of microplastics... You have to use loose leaf tea.”
  — Dr. Rhonda Patrick [41:39]

• On actions companies could take:

  “I don’t need the paint on the lid. I don’t care. Like, you know, put it on the glass part, right? Not on the lid. So I do think that there can be action that's taken by the companies themselves.”
  — Dr. Rhonda Patrick [28:16]

• On the difficulty of avoidance:

  “It’s like imperfect avoidance because, like, you have to eat, you have to live, right? But, like, do what you can to reduce your exposure.”
  — Dr. Rhonda Patrick [58:30]

Practical Steps: What Can You Do?

(Recommended by Dr. Patrick)

1. Water Filtration

• Use a reverse osmosis (RO) water filter (countertop or whole house).
  • Removes 99% of microplastics and harmful chemicals.
  • Add back trace minerals using drops/supplements if using RO.

“The best one you can get is a reverse osmosis water filter... that filters out 99% of microplastics.”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [46:22]

2. Avoid Heating Plastics

• Don’t heat food/drink in plastic containers, spatulas, or cookware.
• Be extra cautious with ‘to-go’ coffee/tea cups (often lined with BPA/BPS plastics, especially bad with heat; use your own reusable cups and loose leaf tea).

3. Minimize Use of Plastic Water Bottles and Containers

• Switch to glass or stainless steel (being cautious of painted/plastic-lined lids).
• Don’t reuse or leave plastic bottles in the heat or sunlight.

4. Avoid Black Plastic and Nonstick Cookware

• Black plastic (often recycled electronics) contains hazardous brominated flame retardants; avoid utensils, trays, packaging.
• Nonstick pans (Teflon) are laden with PFAS (“forever chemicals”); switch to safer alternatives like cast iron or stainless steel.

5. Dietary Fiber and Cruciferous Veggies

• Dietary fiber helps excrete microplastics.
• Sulforaphane (from broccoli sprouts, kale, cabbage) boosts detox enzymes for plastics and pollutants.

“Supplement with a good high quality sulforaphane supplement... activates these enzymes that are involved in excreting BPA and other harmful compounds”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [25:03]

6. Seafood and Animal Products

• Shellfish and whole shrimp contain more microplastics (in their guts).
• Dairy, butter, and cheese can contain higher PFAS and phthalates as they accumulate in fat.

7. Air Quality

• Use a HEPA air filter at home to reduce inhaled microplastics (air, dust, dryer lint, urban tire/plastic pollution).

“An air filter is another thing that I would say is a simple solution with, in terms of getting rid of the microplastics...”
— Dr. Rhonda Patrick [53:35]

8. Avoid Touching Receipts

• Receipts are coated in BPA/BPS—especially hazardous if you’ve used hand lotion or sanitizer (increases absorption a hundredfold).
• If handling often (cashiers), use nitrile gloves.

9. Restaurant & Takeout Caution

• Cook at home when possible to minimize exposure to heated plastics, linings, and packaging.

Surprising Facts Shared

• Even glass bottles can contain more microplastics than plastic bottles—paint and lids are culprits, though the larger particles are less easily absorbed. [26:31]
• Tea bags (especially “fancy” pyramid shapes) can release billions of microplastics per cup. Use loose leaf tea. [41:39]
• BPA is present in nearly all receipts; using lotion/sanitizer escalates skin absorption dramatically. [60:12]
• Gum base is now made with plastic polymers (since WWII), unless labeled “plastic-free.” [65:06]
• Black plastics (utensils, packaging) are the worst—made from recycled electronics, high in carcinogenic flame retardants. [54:47]
• Microplastics are found in 100% of semen samples, the placenta, animal brains (10x more in Alzheimer’s brains). [53:39]

Recommendations: Timestamps for Essential Segments

• Microplastics and where they're found: [02:31], [27:07]
• Testosterone and sperm quality effects: [03:50]–[07:00]
• Mechanisms of hormone disruption: [07:00]–[10:44]
• Impact on women’s fertility: [22:39]
• BPA and autism/ADHD correlation: [03:05], [29:32], [33:04]
• Why aren’t we talking about this? (political/cultural context): [42:27]–[46:07]
• Actionable steps: filters, cookware, plastic avoidance: [46:22]–[48:59]
• Black plastic & nonstick pans: [54:47], [56:46]
• Receipts, tea, gum, everyday surprises: [60:09], [41:39], [65:06]

The “One Thing We’re Not Talking About”

• Dr. Patrick’s Closing Note:
  • Aside from plastic chemicals, more awareness of the importance of omega-3 fatty acids (from fish or supplements) would improve public health, longevity, and mental health.

  "The easiest thing that you can do is take a pill [omega-3], and it really has a huge effect on depression, mental health... a five year increased life expectancy, 90% reduced chance of sudden cardiac death..."
  — Dr. Rhonda Patrick [65:37]

Takeaway

This episode underscores the scope and urgency of the microplastics crisis in modern life. Dr. Rhonda Patrick expertly translates the dense science, providing listeners with both the sobering reality of widespread contamination and pragmatic steps to reduce exposure—emphasizing water filtration, avoiding plastics especially under heat, dietary interventions, and home air quality. The call is clear: until politicians and industries step up, individuals must take charge of protecting their own health and future generations.