The Latest Science on Microplastics — And What They’re Doing to Your Body | Dr. Shanna Swan

The Dr. Hyman Show

Dr. Mark Hyman

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.5 • 9.1K Ratings

🗓️ 20 May 2026

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We’re surrounded by plastics and environmental chemicals every day, but only recently have scientists begun to understand how deeply they may be affecting human health. On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with Dr. Shanna Swan to explore what the latest science reveals about plastics, fertility, hormone health, and the everyday habits that may be shaping our biology more than we realize. Watch the full conversation on YouTube, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. We Examine: • Why scientists are increasingly concerned about declining sperm counts, fertility, and hormone health • What microplastics, phthalates, BPA, and PFAS actually do inside your body • Why heating food in plastic can dramatically increase exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals • The practical changes that may help you reduce exposure and support long-term health This conversation isn’t about fear, rather it’s about understanding how everyday exposures shape our health and where small, practical changes can make a meaningful difference. If this episode has left you thinking differently about everyday exposure and you want to learn more, here are a few great places to start: • Watch The Plastic Detox • Explore Dr. Swan’s work through the Action Science Initiative • Visit UnplasticYourLife.com for practical ways to reduce exposure at home View Show Notes From This Episode Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Resultshttps://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Seed, Big Bold Health, Timeline, BON CHARGE, Sulighten and BIOptimizers. Go to seed.com/hyman and use code 20HYMAN to get 20% off your first month. Go to bigboldhealth.com/drhyman and use code HYMAN15 to save 15% on your first order. Visit timeline.com/drhyman for 20% off a subscription on top of new starting price of $79. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use promo code HYMAN at checkout to save 15%. Head to fatty15.com/HYMAN today and use code HYMAN for 15% off your 90-day subscription Starter Kit. (0:00) Microplastics in the human body and their sources (0:56) Introduction to Dr. Shanna Swan (3:34) The Plastic Detox documentary and endocrine disruptors (5:21) Dr. Swan's research journey and phthalates (6:29) Decline in sperm count and reproductive impacts (8:45) Early research and phthalate syndrome in humans (11:03) Sources and broader impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (19:38) Classes of hormone-altering chemicals and health impacts (22:51) Health impacts beyond reproduction (24:20) Personal and clinical experiences with microplastics (27:02) Measuring microplastics and routes of human exposure (29:29) Methods to reduce microplastic exposure (31:14) Biological and regulatory aspects of microplastics (35:02) Plastic Detox movie findings and intervention results (41:16) Chemicals in microplastics and their effects (47:21) Legislation and consumer protection against toxic chemicals (50:54) Diagnostic testing for toxic exposure: importance and costs (53:09) Practical steps to reduce chemical exposures (55:35) Avoiding plastic and toxic exposures in daily life (58:10) Skincare, fragrance, and chemical exposure (1:01:19) Rapid-fire questions on health and environmental practices (1:09:06) Resources for testing and exposure reduction

Transcript

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0:00.0	What if brain fog, anxiety, and mood swings aren't simply all in your head?
0:04.7	What if the health of your mind actually starts deeper in your body, in your gut,
0:09.7	and your hormones, metabolism, and your immune system?
0:12.3	Well, let me tell you, the connection is real, and it affects how you think and you feel
0:16.4	every single day.
0:17.3	And that's why I created Brain Shaping Academy, a six-week program that shows you how
0:22.1	healing your body can help you heal your mind. Brain Shaping Academy relies on the same targeted
0:27.6	nutrition and lifestyle strategies that I've used for 30 years to help my patients improve their
0:31.9	mental, emotional, and cognitive health. So if you want to feel calmer, clear, and more in control,
0:37.4	and stay sharp and
0:38.3	protect your brain as you age, check out Brain Shaping Academy at Dr.hyman.com for slash brain shaping.
0:45.0	That's Dr.hyman.com or slash brain shaping. Microplastics, which is something that's in the
0:50.4	zeitgeist now is a problem and people are worried about, freaked out about, don't know what to do about. People measure them in their blood. They've been measured in placentas.
0:58.2	They've been measured in seminal fluid. They've been measured in breast milk. They're breakdown products.
1:03.5	Very small breakdown products of plastic. And do harm in two ways. They carry the chemical.
1:08.7	The chemical is piggybacked on the little particle. And then they
1:11.7	invade the cells. And that invasion, their presence in the human body, in the cell, itself causes
1:17.5	harm. It's not anything you have any control over, really, because they're so prevalent in our
1:24.6	water and in our air and in everything we eat and smell and drink. Where are they
1:31.0	coming from? And the answer is everywhere. And that's kind of scary. Let's talk about the testing.
1:36.6	Is it worth people doing the testing? If you want to learn what's in your body and then commit
1:41.7	to go on and make changes in your life. You can. Today I'm joined by
	...

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