FoundMyFitness · 2024-09-20 · Rhonda Patrick (host)

What Microplastics Are Doing to the Brain, Body, and Reproductive Systems

73 research-tied claims examined: 5 contradicted 4 overstated 6 context 52 supported 6 unverified

Contradicted by research

0:03:58 Rhonda Patrick (host)contradictedlow

Drinking tap water alone can account for ingesting between 220,000 and 1.2 million microplastic particles per year.

"Tap water alone can account for the ingestion of anywhere between 220,000 to 1.2 million microplastic particles per year depending on the source." (said at 0:03:58)

Published estimates of microplastic intake indicate that drinking tap water alone accounts for a much smaller number of particles than claimed. In a landmark synthesis of dietary microplastic exposure (Cox et al., 2019), individuals meeting their recommended fluid intake exclusively through tap water were estimated to ingest approximately 4,000 microplastic particles per year (compared to an estimated 90,000 particles per year for those drinking exclusively bottled water). Total annual microplastic consumption from all evaluated dietary sources combined was estimated at 39,000 to 52,000 particles per year (74,000 to 121,000 when including inhalation), contradicting the claim of 220,000 to 1.2 million particles per year from tap water alone.

contradicts: Human Consumption of Microplastics. (Environmental science & technology 2019) · cited 2691x in the literature
"Additionally, individuals who meet their recommended water intake through only bottled sources may be ingesting an additional 90000 microplastics annually, compared to 4000 microplastics for those who consume only tap water." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:26:37 Rhonda Patrick (host)contradictedlow

A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that higher BPA levels in pregnant women were associated with behavioral problems in their children, particularly in boys.

"For example, one study from Harvard School of Public Health found that higher BPA levels in pregnant women were associated with behavioral problems in their children, particularly boys." (said at 0:26:37)

The speaker inverted the sex-specific findings of the prominent Harvard School of Public Health study. In the prospective birth cohort led by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (Braun et al., 2011; Pediatrics), higher gestational urinary BPA concentrations were associated with increased behavioral problems (e.g., anxiety, depression, and poorer emotional control) at age 3 in girls, whereas associations in boys were null or negative. An earlier report from the same cohort at age 2 (Braun et al., 2009; Environmental Health Perspectives) similarly found associations between prenatal BPA exposure and externalizing behaviors only among female children.

contradicts: Prenatal bisphenol A exposure and early childhood behavior. (Environmental health perspectives 2009) · cited 486x in the literature
"After adjustment for confounders, log(10)-transformed mean prenatal BPA concentrations were associated with externalizing scores, but only among females [beta = 6.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.1-12.0]." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Impact of early-life bisphenol A exposure on behavior and executive function in children. (Pediatrics 2011) · cited 562x in the literature
"The magnitude of the gestational BPA associations differed according to child gender; BASC-2 and BRIEF-P scores increased 9 to 12 points among girls, but changes were null or negative among boys... In this study, gestational BPA exposure affected behavioral and emotional regulation domains at 3 years of age, especially among girls." (abstract, results and conclusions)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:37:48 Rhonda Patrick (host)contradictedmoderate

A 2016 study found that girls with higher prenatal BPA exposure experienced earlier breast development and menarche.

"A study published in 2016 found that girls with higher prenatal BPA exposure had earlier breast development and menarche, which is the first menstrual period" (said at 0:37:48)

Prospective cohort studies examining prenatal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and female pubertal timing have found either null associations or associations with delayed (later) pubertal milestones in girls, the opposite of earlier onset. For example, in the CHAMACOS longitudinal birth cohort, prenatal urinary BPA concentrations were associated with later pubertal timing (later pubarche and menarche, particularly in normal-weight girls). Similarly, a multi-cohort European study found maternal BPA concentrations were associated with delayed gonadarche in normal-weight girls, and an earlier Mexican cohort found no significant association between in utero BPA exposure and sexual maturation timing.

contradicts: In utero and peripubertal exposure to phthalates and BPA in relation to female sexual matu… (Environmental research 2014) · cited 118x in the literature
"BPA was not associated with in utero or peripubertal serum hormones or sexual maturation." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Association of Prenatal Urinary Concentrations of Phthalates and Bisphenol A and Pubertal … (Environmental health perspectives 2018) · cited 128x in the literature
"The sum of urinary metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ∑DEHP, monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), and BPA were associated with later onset of at least one of the three outcomes assessed in girls (thelarche, pubarche, or menarche) and with earlier onset of at least one of the two outcomes assessed in boys (gondarche and pubarche). We found that monocarboxynonyl phthalate, monocarboxyoctyl phthalate, mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate, and BPA were associated with later pubarche and menarche mostly among normal-weight girls but not overweight/obese girls." (abstract, results)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Association of prenatal exposure to phthalates and synthetic phenols with pubertal develop… (International journal of hygiene and environmental health 2024) · cited 18x in the literature
"In girls, MEHP and BPA were associated with delayed gonadarche in those with underweight/normal weight (RR [95% CI] = 0.86 [0.77-0.95] and 0.90 [0.84-0.97], respectively)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:42:29 Rhonda Patrick (host)contradictedvery low

In rodent studies, exposure to the phthalate metabolite DBP decreases coronary flow, reduces cardiac contractility, slows heart rate, and slows electrical signal propagation in the heart.

"In rodent studies, exposure to a metabolite of phthalate called DBP has been shown to decrease coronary flow and reduce the heart's ability to contract properly. Phthalates slow down heart rate and the speed at which electrical signals travel across the heart muscle." (said at 0:42:29)

The speaker misstates the basic chemistry and pharmacology of phthalates: DBP (dibutyl phthalate) is a parent diester phthalate plasticizer, not a metabolite (its primary monoester metabolite is monobutyl phthalate, MBP). Furthermore, the specific cardiodepressive and electrophysiological effects described—slowing of heart rate (negative chronotropy), prolongation of atrioventricular conduction, and slowing of electrical conduction velocity—have been demonstrated in rodent Langendorff-perfused heart models primarily for DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) and its active metabolite MEHP (mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate), rather than DBP.

context: Plasticizer Interaction With the Heart: Chemicals Used in Plastic Medical Devices Can Inte… (Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology 2019) · cited 56x in the literature
"We aimed to investigate the cardiac safety and biocompatibility of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), a phthalate with documented exposure in intensive care patients... MEHP exposure also slowed epicardial conduction velocity (35 versus 60 cm/s), which may be partly explained by inhibition of Na v 1.5" (abstract, results)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: Evidence for the cardiodepressive effects of the plasticizer di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate. (Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology 2023) · cited 15x in the literature
"Langendorff-perfused rat heart preparations were acutely exposed to DEHP. Sinus activity remained stable with lower doses of DEHP (25-50 μg/ml), but sinus rate declined by 43% and sinus node recovery time (SNRT) prolonged by 56.5% following 30-min exposure to 100 μg/ml DEHP. DEHP exposure also exerted a negative dromotropic response, as indicated by a 69.4% longer PR interval, 108.5% longer Wenckebach cycle length (WBCL), and increased incidence of atrioventricular (AV) uncoupling" (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:47:35 Rhonda Patrick (host)contradictedlow

A meta-analysis pooling 9 case-control studies across over 7,800 participants found that specific phthalate metabolites were positively associated with breast cancer risk.

"A meta-analysis pooled data from nine case-controlled studies involving over 7,800 participants across multiple countries, and it found that specific phthalate metabolites were positively associated with breast cancer risk." (said at 0:47:35)

A 2021 meta-analysis by Wan et al. did pool data from 9 case-control studies comprising 7,820 breast cancer cases and controls. However, the study did not find any phthalate metabolites positively associated with breast cancer risk. Instead, it reported statistically significant inverse (negative) associations for mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP; OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60–0.90) and mono-2-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP; OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58–0.98), and no statistically significant associations for the other evaluated phthalate metabolites (MEP, MEHHP, MEHP, MEOHP, MCPP, and MBP). Because the speaker inverted the direction of the reported association, the claim is contradicted by the cited study.

contradicts: The Association of Bisphenol A and Phthalates with Risk of Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. (International journal of environmental research and public health 2021) · cited 76x in the literature
"A total of nine studies, consisting of 7820 breast cancer cases and controls, were included. The urinary phthalate metabolite mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and mono-2-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP) were negatively associated with breast cancer (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60-0.90; OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58-0.98, respectively). However, the overall ORs for BPA, mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate (MCPP), and mono-butyl phthalate (MBP) were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.69-1.05), 0.96 (95% CI: 0.62-1.48), 1.12 (95% CI: 0.88-1.42), 1.13 (95% CI: 0.74-1.73), 1.01 (95% CI: 0.74-1.40), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.48-1.14), and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.55-1.15), respectively, suggesting no significant association." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

Unverified means no publication matching the claim was located; it does not prove the claim false. Spotted an error? See the corrections policy - disputes from the people quoted are prioritized.