Microplastics, the nearly invisible fragments of plastic pollution, have quietly made their way into nearly every part of modern life. From bottled water to table salt, they show up in places you’d never expect, and more research is now linking them to disruptions in gut health and beyond!

And while headlines have grown louder, the solutions often feel frustratingly out of reach, leaving many of us with more anxiety than answers. But here’s the good news: once you understand how microplastics affect your digestive system, you can take meaningful, manageable steps to support your health.

In this article, we’ll break down what microplastics are, how they might be influencing your gut, and the small lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

what are microplastics, really?

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles between 5 millimeters down to 1 micrometer in size (from about the width of a pencil eraser down to a microscopic bacterium). Some are intentionally manufactured that way (like microbeads once found in face scrubs), while others form when larger plastics break down over time.

A study published in Environmental Science & Technology estimates that Americans consume between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles each year through food and drink. When air exposure is included, that number climbs to as high as 121,000 particles annually.

So how are these particles making their way into our digestive systems?

• Through food and water: Microplastics have been found in seafood, salt, honey, tea bags, fruits, and vegetables. In particular, water bottled in plastic often contains more microplastics than tap.
• From food packaging: Heat, friction, and chemical reactions can cause plastic packaging to leach microplastics directly into your food. This occurs especially when heating or storing hot meals.
• Environmental exposure: Microplastics in household dust and air can settle on your meals or be ingested without you realizing it, especially in indoor environments.

Today, microplastics are found in nearly everything. They are swirling through ocean currents, embedded in soil, drifting through the air, and hiding in the food we eat. No longer just an environmental issue, they’ve become part of our internal landscape. Emerging research shows that once ingested, microplastics can disrupt the gut microbiota, reduce beneficial bacteria, and trigger inflammation in the intestinal lining.

And they don’t always pass through. Some particles may linger in the digestive tract, interacting with the gut lining and potentially altering its delicate balance over time.

how microplastics might be showing up in your gut

So what does all of this mean for you?

We’re starting to see more connections between long-term microplastic exposure and gut-related symptoms. This includes symptoms like bloating that won’t go away, food sensitivities that seem to come out of nowhere, or digestion that just feels off. The research is still unfolding, but early findings suggest microplastics may be playing a bigger role than we realized.

Here’s how they could be affecting your gut and what you can do about them.

Your gut feels off (& you’re not sure why)

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that make up a diverse ecosystem known as your microbiome. These microbes help you digest food, absorb nutrients, produce feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin, and keep your immune system in check. When this balance is thriving, you feel it in everything from regular digestion to stable energy and even balanced mood.

But microplastics can interfere with this delicate system. Research suggests they may reduce populations of helpful bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, while signaling harmful or inflammatory strains to grow. When this happens, your microbiome can shift out of balance, a state called dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis doesn’t always cause intense symptoms right away. It can show up subtly at first: bloating, sluggish digestion, brain fog, irritability, or feeling “off” after eating foods that used to be fine. Left unchecked, it can lead to more serious issues like leaky gut, weakened immunity, joint pain, and chronic inflammation that affect virtually any system in the body.

What you can do:

• Eat more fiber-rich prebiotics like garlic, onions, asparagus, and oats.
• Add fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, or sauerkraut to support healthy gut flora.
• Cut down on ultra-processed foods, which also fuel the wrong kinds of bacteria.

You’re always bloated or inflamed

Bloating, puffiness, or digestive discomfort might seem like small annoyances, but they can be early signs that your gut is inflamed. Microplastics may aggravate immune cells in the gut lining, triggering a steady, low-grade inflammatory response. And while it might not feel extreme at first, this kind of background inflammation can quietly wear down your digestive resilience.

Over time, chronic gut inflammation doesn’t just affect digestion. It can impact energy, immunity, nutrient absorption, and even how your brain functions. In other words, ignoring that bloated feeling could mean missing a key signal your body’s trying to send you.

What you can do:

• Add anti-inflammatory staples like ginger, turmeric, leafy greens, and wild-caught salmon.
• Support your body’s detox pathways with cruciferous veggies and plenty of water.
• Avoid heating food in plastic or using single-use containers where possible.

Food sensitivities are sneaking up on you

If you’ve started reacting to foods that never used to bother you (dairy, gluten, or even fruits and vegetables) it might not be in your head. Microplastics can damage the gut lining, making it more permeable. When that protective barrier breaks down enough (a condition commonly called “leaky gut”), particles that don’t belong in your bloodstream can slip through, triggering immune reactions that show up as food sensitivities, skin issues, or inflammation.

This isn’t just a digestive problem, it’s a whole-body concern. A compromised gut lining affects how your immune system responds, how you absorb nutrients, and how your body handles stress. Supporting and protecting your gut barrier is one of the most powerful things you can do for your overall health.

What you can do:

• Support gut repair with L-glutamine, zinc, and collagen.
• Cut back on alcohol and unnecessary NSAID use (over the counter pain killers), which weaken the gut lining.
• Use a high-quality water filter to reduce exposure to microplastics at one of its sources.

when probiotics & enzymes can help

Microplastics don’t just pass through your system. They can interfere with every stage of digestion. From weakening enzyme activity to disrupting the delicate balance of gut bacteria, these tiny particles may silently compromise how your body breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and defends itself. If you’re dealing with persistent bloating, sluggish digestion, or growing food sensitivities, it could be a sign that your gut is no longer functioning as it should and that the damage is starting to add up.

This is where targeted support can make a real difference. Probiotics help restore the beneficial bacteria that microplastics may deplete, while digestive enzymes support the breakdown of food. This can help reduce the burden on a stressed digestive system.

Cielo’s Horizon combines both, offering broad-spectrum enzymes, resilient probiotics, and soothing organic ginger to help your gut get back on track. Together, these ingredients work to ease digestion, calm inflammation, and support a healthier microbiome in the face of modern exposures like microplastics.

If your digestion feels off and your symptoms aren’t going away, Horizon offers a simple but powerful way to support your body where it needs it most.

10 ways to protect your gut from microplastics

You can’t avoid microplastics completely, but you can lower your exposure and support your body’s defenses. Here are simple, gut-focused swaps that make a real difference:

• Filter your water. Choose a high-quality filter that removes microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals).
• Skip the plastic bottle. Use stainless steel or glass for water on the go.
• Don’t heat food in plastic. Use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel containers when reheating.
• Switch your tea. Go loose-leaf or plastic-free tea bags to avoid steeping microplastics.
• Eat more whole foods. Processed items often come with hidden plastic particles, and less fiber to fight back.
• Upgrade your storage. Glass or silicone containers reduce long-term plastic leaching.
• Dust and vacuum regularly. Indoor air carries microplastic particles, especially from synthetic fabrics.
• Clean up your products. Choose personal care and cleaning items that are free from synthetic microbeads or plastic additives.
• Rinse produce thoroughly. Especially when it’s been stored or wrapped in plastic.
• Support your gut daily. Prebiotic fiber, fermented foods, and targeted supplements can help maintain balance and resilience.

conclusion

Microplastics aren’t just an environmental issue. They’re a personal one. From disrupting your digestion to weakening your gut’s natural defenses, these tiny particles may already be influencing how you feel every day. But awareness is power. And when you know where exposure is coming from and how it shows up in your body, you can start making changes that truly support your health.

Simple shifts in your daily routine, paired with consistent gut support from food and supplements like Horizon, can help restore balance and resilience. Your gut is adaptable. With the right care, it can heal, thrive, and protect you, no matter what the modern world throws your way.