Environmental Toxins & Their Effects on Health

The fact that our once pristine environment has morphed into a slew of toxins is not debatable. We have evolved (or perhaps devolved) from living in a carefully balanced habitat in synchrony with the ecosystem, to living in an environment overburdened with toxins that threaten to drag us all down with them. From the air we breathe to the water we drink and food we eat, toxic chemicals lurk everywhere.

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it. On both a personal and environmental level, we can reverse toxicity and restore good health. Let’s break it down.

Table of Contents:

• What are environmental toxins and can you avoid them?
• How the body detoxifies itself
• Environmental toxins’ effects on health
• Types of environmental toxins (air, water, food, soil)
• Cleanse your body of toxins

What are Environmental Toxins?

When you think about health hazards, the first things that likely come to mind are the most prevalent diseases of our time — cancer, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, or Alzheimer's disease. Or maybe, you think of car accidents, drug addiction, or poor nutrition. These are significant threats to our well-being, yet we rarely consider the invisible dangers that are lurking ominously in our food or the air we breathe.

Environmental toxins are substances found throughout our surroundings (in the air, ground, food, or water) that can have negative effects on human health. These toxins range from heavy metals like lead and mercury to pesticides, industrial chemicals, and even microplastics. Particulate matter in the air we breathe, chemicals that weaken the food we eat, endocrine disruptors and neurotoxins in cleaning and body care products, all the way to electromagnetic frequencies that swarm our environment. 

Can You Avoid Toxins?

When I first started researching environmental toxins, I wondered if it was even possible for anyone to live in the 21st century without being riddled with toxins. As a person who strives to live a toxic-free life, I was determined to figure out how we could exist in the world without ending up full of toxic soup. 

As I continued searching for answers to this problem, I realized that it was not only possible, but with some simple lifestyle changes, anyone could achieve a very high level of health even living amidst harmful chemicals. The secret lies in paying close attention to your toxic exposure and supporting your body’s detoxification systems. 

How the Body Detoxifies

Before we dive into the different effects and sources of environmental toxins, there are some foundational concepts to cover so you understand how we get exposed to contaminants in the first place. If we don’t know how we get exposed, then it would be impossible to know how to prevent toxins from getting into our bodies.

Exposure & Accumulation

Toxins enter the body through three main exposure routes — dermal, oral, and inhalation. However, not all are equal when considering the level of exposure danger. Inhalation is by far the most dangerous route of exposure because when we breathe in chemicals from the air, they immediately enter the bloodstream and distribute to organs and tissues around our bodies. We don’t have much opportunity to expel them before they get stored in organs and tissues, where they wreak havoc and can cause long-term health problems.

Liver Detoxification

Both dermal and oral routes of exposure are also dangerous, but these are highly supported by our detoxification pathways. The liver is our main organ of detoxification — if all our detox pathways are humming along nicely, the liver can quite easily bind toxins and excrete them from the body, relieving us of their burden. 

But we shouldn’t get too over-confident and solely rely on the liver to take care of all things detox. Our liver can only keep up with so much. We have evolved to take care of toxins, but it’s essential that we actively support detoxification pathways as well. Our responsibility is to mitigate toxic exposures and support the liver nutritionally to prevent toxic overwhelm. If we commit to these, we can bet that our liver will do a fantastic job of keeping our bodies squeaky clean.

Detoxification Through Diet

One way we can add support through diet is by eating more fiber. Historically, we ate about 100 - 150 grams of fiber each day, but today the average is closer to 15 grams per day. Time-restricted eating also helps by activating our natural detoxification pathways and mobilizing more energy for detoxification rather than digestion. Research validates this is most effective when the majority of calories are eaten early in the day and fasting is done from late afternoon/early evening until the following morning. However, women may need to be more careful with fasting for long periods, especially during the luteal phase and menstruation.

Environmental Toxins’ Effects on Health

Toxins that accumulate in the body can have significant negative impacts on your health, from cancer risks to fertility:

Cognitive Function

The brain is highly sensitive to changes in chemical balance and therefore is particularly vulnerable to things like environmental toxins. These toxins can cross the blood-brain barrier, a protective shield that usually keeps harmful substances out of the brain. For example, exposure to high levels of heavy metals like mercury has been linked to cognitive decline, memory problems, and an increased risk of conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Industrial chemicals and pesticides found in non-organic food can also interfere with neurotransmitter function, contributing to mood disorders and impaired mental clarity.

Long-term exposure to even low levels of toxins can cause subtle cognitive impairment (difficulty concentrating, brain fog, or mood instability) that compounds over time. It’s a creeping degradation that doesn’t always raise immediate red flags, but can profoundly affect quality of life.

Respiratory System

Air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, etc.) and chemicals from industrial emissions or cigarette smoke irritate lungs and airways, causing inflammation, oxidative stress, and damage to lung tissues. Chronic exposure can worsen conditions like asthma, increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and reduce lung function.

The fine particulate matter in air pollution can get deep into your lung tissue and enter the bloodstream, amplifying systemic inflammation and putting additional stress on your respiratory system. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), common in many household products like cleaners and cosmetics, also play into airway irritation mentioned above. While smokers are at the highest risk for respiratory damage, the cumulative effects from years of toxin exposure significantly increase the risk of lung cancer, even in non-smokers.

Cardiovascular Health

Environmental toxins can also contribute to cardiovascular issues such as hypertension, atherosclerosis (arterial plaque buildup), and heart attacks. On top of this, pollutants that increase inflammation may also disrupt normal blood pressure regulation and interfere with lipid metabolism, raising bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. Some toxins, like certain industrial solvents, can directly damage heart tissue and cause structural changes that impair function.

Reproductive System

When it comes to fertility, bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and pesticides have been shown to disrupt hormonal balance, a key part of reproductive health. These toxins act as endocrine disruptors, mimicking or interfering with the body’s natural hormones. In women, this can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and difficulty conceiving. In men, toxins can lower sperm count and reduce sperm motility.

Even beyond conception, prenatal exposure to environmental toxins has been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and developmental disorders. Some environmental chemicals can also impact epigenetic markers and gene expression, potentially influencing the health of future generations.

Nervous System

The broader nervous system (outside just the brain) can be impaired by neurotoxins like pesticides, lead, and mercury which disrupt neurotransmitters and damage neurons. Certain toxins and organic solvents damage the myelin sheath that insulates and protects nerve fibers, causing demyelinating disorders and disrupting signal transmission throughout the nervous system. This may result in peripheral neuropathy — where nerve function in the limbs is impaired, causing symptoms like pain, tingling, or numbness. Long-term exposure to certain neurotoxins is also linked to degenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Cellular Effects

At the cellular level, toxins pose significant risks to DNA integrity, potentially increasing the risk of cancer. Chemicals like benzene, asbestos, and some industrial solvents mutate the DNA sequence, which can result in abnormal cell growth and the development of tumors. As we’ve discussed above, toxins also generate oxidative stress that damages cellular components, including proteins, lipids, and DNA. This can initiate a domino effect of errors in cell replication, making it harder for cells to repair themselves, and in some cases, triggering normal cells to transform into cancerous ones.

Some pollutants are also able to interfere with mitochondrial function, compromising cellular energy production and exacerbating oxidative stress and cellular damage. The cumulative effects can accelerate aging, increase susceptibility to various diseases, and increase the risk of cancer across multiple organ systems.

Examples & Types of Environmental Toxins

As you can see, there are a huge number of different environmental toxins, from heavy metals to household cleaning products. In addition to the different sources, these toxins can show up in several different areas of our lives, such as the air we breathe and the water we drink:

Toxins in the Air

The first route we’ll cover is the toxins found in the air we breathe. Would you believe me if I told you that every time you take a breath, you are inhaling a slew of toxicants referred to as particulate matter? What about if I told you that the air inside your home could be far more toxic than outdoor air? It’s hard to believe because we can’t see these so-called toxins, so it’s easy to pretend that they don’t exist. But particulate matter enters the body like a thief in the night, sabotaging our health one inhalation at a time.

The most hazardous form of particulate matter results from combustion — burning wood, coal, gasoline, or other fossil fuels. These increase in concentration in heavily populated areas where traffic is dense and where there is heavy industrial pollution. As mentioned earlier, airborne toxins are the most dangerous because of how quickly they enter the bloodstream. This, coupled with how prevalent fossil fuels and industrial pollution have become in recent decades means that it’s important to avoid as much of this as possible.

Indoor Plants & Other Methods to Remove Toxins from the Air

While the chemicals in the air outside are unfortunately out of our control, this isn’t true about the air inside our home. We can protect the air quality inside our homes by:

• Use Non-Toxic Cleaning Agents: It’s common for products to be labeled “natural” or “biodegradable” but still contain many harmful chemicals — avoid phthalates, perchloroethylene, triclosan, quaternary ammonium compounds, butox-yethonol, ammonia, chlorine, and sodium hydroxide.
• Invest in an Air Filtration System: Look for a high-quality purifier with a true HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter to capture particulate matter and VOCs.
• Get Air-Purifying Plants: Species like Barberton daisy, English ivy, snake plant, spider plant, peace lily, aloe vera, broadleaf lady palm, Boston fern, or dragon tree are fantastic options for naturally filtering your air. 

Toxins in Water

The next terrain to cover is water — we need to talk about why filtering your tap water is such a critical step in reducing toxic load. Access to clean water seems like it would be a foundational human right wouldn’t you think? This is far from reality in many towns, cities, and rural areas across North America. Even after the Flint, MI water crisis where 100,000 people were exposed to dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water, it’s estimated that tens of millions of people are still exposed to contaminated drinking water each year in the US. This problem is most egregious in rural areas, but is still a problem in cities as well.

Lead, arsenic, radioactive substances, elevated levels of copper, chlorine, perfluorooctanoic acid, nitrate, and pharmaceuticals are all toxins that have been found in tap water.

How to Filter Out Waterborne Toxins

Minimizing exposure to environmental toxins in your drinking water can be done effectively with several considerations:

• Use Water Filters: Install certified water filters (we recommend activated carbon and reverse osmosis filters) to remove contaminants before drinking.
• Test Your Water: Make sure to regularly check tap or well water — especially if you have old pipes or live near industrial or agricultural activity.
• Be Cautious with Well Water: If your home is on well water, test annually for pollutants like nitrates and arsenic.
• Avoid Disposable Bottled Water as much as possible: Plastic bottles can leach chemicals like BPA into the water you’re drinking, so use glass or metal bottles instead.
• Reduce Household Pollution: Reduce any potentially harmful chemicals in your home to prevent contamination of local water sources.

Toxins in Our Soil

Soil is commonly sprayed with pesticides and industrial pollutants to get rid of pests and boost crop yields. But they also seep into the food we eat, the water we drink, and even back into the air we breathe when they evaporate in the sun. But unlike air or water pollution, soil toxins can remain stable for decades (or even centuries), creating long-term exposure risks that you may not be aware are present.

Heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic often get into the soil through industrial waste, mining, or improper disposal of products. These metals don’t break down (at least in our lifetimes) and build up in the soil, where they sometimes enter the food chain. We’ve been finding more and more microplastics and chemical additives from degraded plastic waste in soils, especially near landfills. These tiny particles not only reduce the productivity of soil, but are absorbed by plants and make their way into your food and eventually, your body.

Reduce Exposure to Soil Toxins

Reducing your exposure to soil toxins leans heavily on awareness and preventive measures such as:

• Choose Organic Foods: While organic produce isn’t immune to contamination, it is less likely to be grown in heavily polluted soils.
• Test Your Soil: If you grow your own food, consider testing the soil for heavy metals and other toxins, especially in areas with a history of industrial activity or where synthetic pesticides have been used.
• Use Safe Gardening Practices: For home gardeners, use clean, uncontaminated soil, and avoid synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Toxins in Food

Because of these soil concerns, there are big problems with all the toxins that are now found in our food. Plants absorb toxins from the ground, which can then enter the human body when we consume fruits, vegetables, or grains grown in contaminated soil. These toxins not only negatively impact our health, but also decrease the nutritional value of the food we eat. 

When you combine a high toxic load in the body with nutritional deficiencies and low glutathione, you create the perfect scenario for disease. The more toxic we become, the more nutrients and enzymes our body uses up attempting to get rid of toxins, and the more nutritionally depleted we become as a result. It’s a vicious and destructive cycle that leads right to disease.

Reduce Toxins in Your Diet

While there is some overlap between reducing soil toxin exposure and food toxin consumption, there are some additional ways you can reduce toxin exposure through dietary choices:

• Look for Non-GMO: Similar to organic foods, non-GMO items are grown with fewer synthetic chemicals and help avoid herbicides like glyphosate.
• Wash and Peel Produce: Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and peel foods with thicker skins to reduce surface toxins.
• Limit Processed Foods: Processed foods often contain additives and chemicals, so opt for fresh, whole foods instead.
• Buy Seasonal Foods: Because they require fewer chemicals, pesticides, and ripening agents to grow in their natural season, these foods are often cleaner for your body.
• Eat Lower on the Food Chain: Choose smaller fish (like sardines) with lower mercury levels — or in the case of fish oil, make sure the extraction method removes heavy metals without ruining the other ingredients.

Environmental Toxins FAQs

What are the most common environmental toxins?

Heavy metals (mercury, lead, and arsenic) and hazardous chemicals (pesticides, VOCs, phthalates, and formaldehyde) are typically encountered more commonly in our daily lives than any other toxins. These are mostly airborne, but can also show up in water, soil, and food.

What diseases can toxin exposure cause?

There are a variety of concerns that high or prolonged environmental toxin exposure can cause or amplify, depending on the type of toxin and biological systems affected. As we mentioned above, cancer is a prominent disease that might be caused by toxic accumulation, along with liver disease, blood disorders (like acute leukemia), increased risk of ASD (autism spectrum disorder), asthma, and mesothelioma.

How long does it take for water to flush out toxins?

This will depend on how hydrated you are and how much toxins have accumulated. However, simply drinking water probably isn’t enough to fully detox your system, which is where other methods or supplements we’ve discussed above come into play.

What indoor plants help remove toxins from the air?

In addition to air filtration systems, we recommend adding snake plants, spider plants, peace lilies, aloe vera, rubber plants, Boston ferns, or English ivy to your home to boost toxin removal. Many of these not only remove substances like formaldehyde and benzene, but also mold that may have started releasing spores into the air.

Can environmental toxins affect fertility?

Yes, toxin exposure can impact fertility (in both men and women), as well as disrupting menstrual cycles and increasing risks to babies during pregnancy. Heavy metals, BPA, phthalates, pesticides, parabens, microplastics, and fossil fuel air pollution are common sources of everyday toxins that threaten fertility and reproductive health.

Cleansing Your Body of Toxins

Thankfully, there’s a happy ending to this toxic story — and that happy ending begins with our cell membranes. Our cell membrane is the first line of defense against environmental toxins. These are what determine what enters (nutrients) and exits the cell (harmful toxins). But toxic assaults significantly alter membrane function, and when membrane function has been altered, everything is compromised.

Phosphatidylcholine (also known as PC) rebuilds and fortifies the cell membrane to have structure, stability, and integrity. When we have healthy cell membranes, nutrients easily enter the cell and waste cleanly exits the cell. PC is an essential nutrient for everyone to include in their dietary regime for stronger, healthier cells.

Learn more about our PC supplements here.