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Microplastics are everywhere—but what are they doing inside the human body?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Christian Pacher-Deutsch about his lastest study and the growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may affect the digestive system, the gut microbiome, and long-term health. He explains why this problem has reached crisis level. 

Rather than focusing on dramatic claims or quick fixes, this conversation explores what the science actually shows, including how probiotics may help mitigate some of the harmful effects of microplastics...not by breaking them down, but by supporting gut integrity and immune balance.

We discuss:

• What microplastics and nanoplastics are, how they’re formed, and where human exposure comes from
• Why nanoplastics may be especially concerning due to their size and biological interactions
• The range of health effects microplastics have been linked to, including immune, neurological, reproductive, and carcinogenic effects
• How microplastics may disrupt the gastrointestinal tract, including digestion, inflammation, barrier function, and gut permeability
• What the microbiome is and why it plays a central role in health
• Why probiotics were considered as a potential solution, and what the research found
• Why probiotic bacteria are unlikely to directly degrade plastics
• How probiotics may still help reduce inflammation and support the gut’s protective barriers
• Whether certain bacteria appear more protective than others
• The role of industry collaboration and whether probiotic formulations are being explored
• Whether probiotics can realistically help us get ahead of the microplastic crisis, or if they are only part of a larger solution
• Practical ways people can reduce exposure, and where reduction may be unrealistic
• How diet, including probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods, might help mitigate risk
• What this research changed about Dr. Pacher-Deutsch’s own habits
• What’s next in microplastics and health research

This episode offers a clear, evidence-based look at microplastics inside the human body—without panic, hype, or false promises.

GUEST BIO: Dr. Pacher-Deutsch is a scientist and researcher in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine (CBmed), Graz, Austria. 

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