Hi Everyone,
Dr. Storage here.
If you’ve been following our newsletter, you already know how deeply microplastics have infiltrated our environment and our bodies...
And microplastics aren’t just ending up in your blood or gut anymore.
Scientists are now detecting microplastics in human bones and suggesting that they could make your skeleton weaker over time (see the study referenced below)..
As a gastroenterologist, I spend most of my days focused on what happens in the gut. But remember, everything that happens in your gut affects the rest of your body. And that includes your bones.
Let’s unpack what this means and, more importantly, what you can do about it.
Why You Should Read This Now
A 2025 Osteoporosis International review found microplastic particles embedded in human bone for the first time.
These plastics may disrupt the cells that build and repair bone, quietly tipping the balance toward bone loss.
Meanwhile, osteoporosis rates are climbing faster than ever, especially among women after age 50.
Particles from the same plastics that pollute our oceans are showing up in more and more parts of our bodies.
Today’s Opponent:
Microplastics and Bone Loss
A 2025 study found microplastics can damage bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) and accelerate bone breakdown.
Microplastics may also trigger inflammation and oxidative stress, two major culprits behind osteoporosis.
Microplastics also appear to disrupt calcium balance and weaken collagen, the protein scaffolding that give your bones their strength.
What’s more alarming: animal models reveal thinner, more fragile bone tissue after microplastics exposure.
Even your bone marrow isn’t spared: microplastics penetrate it. This interferes with stem cells that help renew bone tissue.
Microplastics and Rising Osteoporosis Rates
Osteoporosis already affects over 10 million Americans, and another 44 million are at risk.
While age, menopause, and inactivity remain the biggest drivers, they don’t fully explain the spike.
Today, low bone density and osteoporosis rates are climbing worldwide. Environmental toxins, including microplastics and other endocrine disruptors, may be part of the reason.
Think about it:
People born after 1970 have grown up surrounded by plastic in packaging, water bottles, cosmetics, even clothing fibers.
Over time, those tiny exposures add up. Once in the bloodstream, microplastics can deposit in tissues (including bone) and alter how cells renew and repair.
Combine that with modern stress, sleep loss, and sedentary habits, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for earlier, faster bone decline.
Taking all this into account, I can say as a physician that environmental plastic exposure may be playing a role here.
What You Can Do (Starting Today)
You can’t avoid plastic completely, but you can lower your body’s burden:
🥤 Switch to glass or stainless steel for drinking and storage.
🔥 Avoid microwaving or heating food in plastic containers.
🦠 Support your gut barrier with fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, kimchi) and fiber — a healthy gut helps limit what leaks into the bloodstream.
🥬 Load up on calcium, vitamin D, and antioxidants from leafy greens, sardines, and berries.
💪 Do daily weight-bearing movement (walking, resistance bands, Pilates) — your bones respond to pressure by growing stronger.
These habits won’t just help protect you from microplastics exposure, they may help keep your bones dense and resilient long term.
“Microplastics are showing up in bone tissue. That means what you eat, drink, and store food in can literally change your skeletal structure.”
“The presence of microplastic particles in bone tissue is alarming but not surprising. Once these particles enter circulation, they may deposit essentially anywhere, including your skeleton, potentially altering how bone cells and bone marrow function.”
What To Tell Your Doctor
“I’ve been reading about how microplastics can accumulate in the body and even weaken bone. Should I check my bone density sooner, or review ways to protect my gut barrier and skeletal health?”
What’s On Your Mind?
Respond to this email and let us know!
As gastroenterologists, we definitely have a lot to talk about when it comes to your gut health and well-being. But we can’t always get to everything (you know… like coffee enemas)! So reply directly to this email or DM us on TikTok below and maybe YOUR topic will be featured soon!
