Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PD01 supplementation reduces microplastics and microplastic-associated chemicals in humans: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
- 1School of Public Health, Fudan University
Abstract
BACKGROUNDPlastic products improve daily convenience but release pollutants that threaten human health, and effective elimination strategies remain limited.
METHODSIn a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed whether Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PD01, previously isolated from a donor with high-microplastic (MP) excretion, accelerates MP elimination. Of 106 participants recruited, 96 were randomized to placebo or PD01. Fecal MPs and urinary phthalate metabolites were measured by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry at baseline, week 3, and week 6. Primary outcomes were changes in MP concentrations and phthalate metabolite levels, analyzed with linear mixed-effects models.
RESULTSPD01 significantly increased fecal excretion of polycarbonate (PC) and total MPs at week 3 (PC: estimated mean difference, 3.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98 to 5.40; interaction P =0.005; total MPs: 1.99; 95% CI, 0.78 to 3.21; interaction P =0.001) and week 6 (PC: 2.87; 95% CI, 0.66 to 5.08; interaction P =0.011; total MPs: 1.25; 95% CI, 0.04 to 2.47; interaction P =0.044). By week 6, urinary phthalate metabolites were significantly lower with PD01 than placebo (MnBP: -0.96; 95% CI, -1.73 to -0.18; interaction P =0.016; MEHHP: -0.91; 95% CI, -1.79 to -0.02; interaction P =0.046; MECPP: -1.06; 95% CI, -2.09 to -0.03; interaction P =0.045; {Sigma}DEHP: -0.97; 95% CI, -1.84 to -0.09; interaction P =0.031).
CONCLUSIONSThis trial provides a feasible, low-cost, gut-targeted strategy to accelerate pollutant clearance and represents the first clinical evidence that human plastic burden can be lowered without dietary or behavioral restrictions. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07416214.)
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BibTeX
@misc{lu2026lactiplantibacillus,
title = {{Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PD01 supplementation reduces microplastics and microplastic-associated chemicals in humans: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.}},
author = {R. Lu and L. Zhao and X. Huang and R. Dong},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.12.26360001},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.12.26360001v2},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PD01 supplementation reduces microplastics and microplastic-associated chemicals in humans: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
AU - R. Lu
AU - L. Zhao
AU - X. Huang
AU - R. Dong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.12.26360001
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.12.26360001v2
AB - BACKGROUNDPlastic products improve daily convenience but release pollutants that threaten human health, and effective elimination strategies remain limited. METHODSIn a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed whether Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PD01, previously isolated from a donor with high-microplastic (MP) excretion, accelerates MP elimination. Of 106 participants recruited, 96 were randomized to placebo or PD01. Fecal MPs and urinary phthalate metabolites were measured by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry at baseline, week 3, and week 6. Primary outcomes were changes in MP concentrations and phthalate metabolite levels, analyzed with linear mixed-effects models. RESULTSPD01 significantly increased fecal excretion of polycarbonate (PC) and total MPs at week 3 (PC: estimated mean difference, 3.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98 to 5.40; interaction P =0.005; total MPs: 1.99; 95% CI, 0.78 to 3.21; interaction P =0.001) and week 6 (PC: 2.87; 95% CI, 0.66 to 5.08; interaction P =0.011; total MPs: 1.25; 95% CI, 0.04 to 2.47; interaction P =0.044). By week 6, urinary phthalate metabolites were significantly lower with PD01 than placebo (MnBP: -0.96; 95% CI, -1.73 to -0.18; interaction P =0.016; MEHHP: -0.91; 95% CI, -1.79 to -0.02; interaction P =0.046; MECPP: -1.06; 95% CI, -2.09 to -0.03; interaction P =0.045; {Sigma}DEHP: -0.97; 95% CI, -1.84 to -0.09; interaction P =0.031). CONCLUSIONSThis trial provides a feasible, low-cost, gut-targeted strategy to accelerate pollutant clearance and represents the first clinical evidence that human plastic burden can be lowered without dietary or behavioral restrictions. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07416214.)
ER -