EP 1382

1382. Your Brain Is 0.5% Plastic (Here’s How to Flush It)

In this episode of The Human Upgrade, Host Dave Asprey explores the hidden health crisis of microplastics with Josephine Musco, founder of Olyxir Tea Strips. From invisible particles accumulating in your brain to hormone disruption affecting fertility, microplastics are everywhere..teabags, water bottles, synthetic clothing, and skincare products. They dive deep into how microplastics mimic estrogen, get stored in fat tissue, and cross the blood-brain barrier linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia. Josephine reveals her patented solution: dissolvable tea strips that eliminate teabag microplastics while delivering concentrated polyphenol benefits. The conversation covers practical detox strategies including infrared sauna protocols, lymphatic support with guarana and yerba mate, prebiotics like acacia gum, and how to reduce exposure through household choicesfrom leather vs. synthetic fashion to avoiding non-stick cookware. Critical for those planning pregnancy, this episode emphasizes that reducing microplastic exposure before conception protects the next generation’s cognitive and reproductive health. 

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In this Episode of The Human Upgrade™...

Microplastics are invading your brain, blood, hormones, and fat tissue, and most people have no idea how deep the damage goes. In this episode, Host Dave Asprey and microplastics expert Josephine Musco break down exactly what these particles are doing inside your body and give you a practical, science-backed action plan to detox, protect yourself, and take back control of your biology. 

 

-Get a discount on Olyxir Tea by going to https://www.olyxir.com/ and using code ‘Dave10’ at checkout 

 

Josephine Musco is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur, Demeter-certified biodynamic farmer, and winemaker at Chateau Bellevue 1881 in Livermore, California. She is the founder of Olyxir Tea Strips and holds two scientific patents rooted in her deep expertise in botanical medicine and regenerative health. She is best known for translating complex research on aging, nutrition, environmental toxins, and functional medicine into practical daily habits, and for her work exposing microplastics and PFAs as one of the most underestimated drivers of accelerated biological aging. 

Dave Asprey and Josephine cover the full picture: how nanoplastics cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in postmortem brain tissue, how endocrine disruption from plastics tanks testosterone and drives fat storage, and why your teabag, canned soup, and yoga pants may be among your biggest sources of daily exposure. They also go deep on real solutions, from lymphatic drainage protocols and infrared sauna to supplements like chlorella, lactobacillus, and olive leaf polyphenols that actively help the body clear microplastics and support longevity and brain optimization. 

This is essential listening for anyone serious about biohacking, anti-aging, metabolism, brain optimization, supplements, human performance, and smarter not harder approaches to living clean in a toxic world. If you drink tea, cook with plastic utensils, or wear synthetic workout clothes, this episode will change how you make decisions every single day. 

 

You’ll Learn: 

  • Why 0.5 percent of postmortem brain tissue is now made of microplastics and what that means for neuroplasticity and cognitive decline 
  • How microplastics mimic estrogen, disrupt metabolism, and make it nearly impossible to lose fat 
  • The link between microplastic plaque in carotid arteries and a 4.5x increased risk of cardiac events 
  • Which everyday sources, including teabags, canned soup, cookware, and plastic cutting boards, are silently loading your body with nanoplastics 
  • How lactobacillus reduced microplastics in the blood by 82 percent in studies, and which other supplements support detox 
  • Why Dave Asprey drinks Danger Coffee from a metal container and what his full microplastic reduction protocol looks like 
  • How olive leaf polyphenols, with 26,215 micrograms per gram, act as powerful free radical scavengers to support brain optimization and anti-aging 
  • The morning lymphatic activation routine that combines rebounding, herbal strips, and whole body vibration for deep cellular detox 
  • Why AI and citizen science are accelerating our understanding of microplastic damage faster than traditional medicine 

 

Keywords: microplastics, nanoplastics, teabags, detoxification, BPA, endocrine disruptors, brain health, fertility, reproductive health, Josephine Musco, Elixir Tea Strips, sauna detox, infrared sauna, lymphatic system, probiotics, polyphenols, olive leaf, toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, plastic contamination, water bottles, non-stick cookware, synthetic fabrics, inflammation, Alzheimer’s, dementia, cognitive decline, testosterone, preconception health, pregnancy, longevity, anti-aging, biohacking, functional medicine, Dave Asprey, environmental toxins, detox protocols, gut health, acacia gum, chlorella, spirulina, whole-body vibration, rebounding 

 

Resources:   

 

"Every single time you steep a teabag, it's released at 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics in your cup."

Josephine Musco

00:00 – Introduction 

Opening teaser about microplastics in tea and brain tissue, followed by Dave Asprey introducing the podcast and guest Josephine Musco. 

03:00 – Microplastics in the Brain 

Discussion of how microplastics are invisible, found in brain tissue, and linked to Alzheimer’s, dementia, and testosterone disruption. 

08:40 – Olyxir Tea Strip Solution 

Josephine explains her innovative dissolving tea strips that eliminate teabag microplastics while delivering concentrated tea benefits. 

10:10 – Health Impacts & Weight Gain 

How microplastics act as hormone disruptors, mimic estrogen, and get stored in fat tissue making weight loss difficult. 

11:05 – Environmental Solutions 

Exploring potential fixes from mushrooms and microorganisms, plus discussion of policy solutions like plastic taxes and incineration. 

14:29 – The Teabag Problem 

Deep dive into why paper teabags aren’t clean alternatives and the industry-wide need to eliminate teabag microplastic contamination. 

18:57 – How to Remove Microplastics 

Foods and supplements that help eliminate microplastics including fiber, lactobacillus, acacia gum, chlorella, and prebiotics. 

22:04 – Olive Leaf Benefits 

Josephine’s patented olive leaf extraction process and the powerful polyphenol benefits including antimicrobial and antiviral properties. 

28:26 – Josephine’s Scientific Background 

Her USDA research experience, patent development, and discussion about accessible science beyond academic credentials. 

33:00 – Guarana & Lymphatic Support 

The potent Amazonian berry used for lymphatic stimulation and the morning routine to activate detox pathways. 

34:22 – Skincare & Microplastics 

How skincare products stored in plastic containers deliver microplastics through the skin, plus Josephine’s minimal skincare approach. 

36:38 – Sauna Protocol 

Dave’s personalized detox regimen using infrared saunas, activated charcoal, and whole body vibration for microplastic removal. 

44:19 – Household Exposure Sources 

Identifying microplastics in rugs, mattresses, clothing, cookware, cutting boards, and other common household items. 

47:18 – Workout Clothing Risk 

The danger of wearing tight polyester workout gear in heated yoga and Pilates classes creating transdermal microplastic absorption. 

48:59 – Leather vs Synthetic Fashion 

Why natural leather is more sustainable than plastic-based vegan alternatives and the problem with fast fashion waste. 

50:54 – Pregnancy & Fertility 

Critical importance of reducing microplastic exposure before conception, especially for boys during fetal development and puberty. 

54:20 – Closing & Discount Code 

Final thoughts on taking action without stress, plus the Dave10 discount code for Elixir products. 

 

Thank you to our sponsors!

 

Enjoy the show!

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