Researchers followed over 8,000 American adults for about 8.5 years and found that people with higher levels of chemicals from plastics in their bodies had a higher risk of dying from all causes, cancer, and heart disease. However, the study discovered something hopeful: people who had good levels of vitamin D and folate (a B vitamin) didn’t show this increased risk. This suggests that maintaining healthy vitamin levels might protect against the harmful effects of plastic chemicals we’re exposed to through everyday products.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether chemicals used to make plastics flexible (called plasticizers) that end up in our bodies are connected to dying earlier, and whether vitamins can reduce this risk.
  • Who participated: 8,378 American adults aged 20 and older who were healthy at the start of the study (no heart disease or cancer). The study used health data collected between 2005 and 2016.
  • Key finding: Adults with the highest levels of plastic chemicals in their urine were 35% more likely to die from any cause, 79% more likely to die from cancer, and 83% more likely to die from heart disease compared to those with the lowest levels. However, this increased risk only appeared in people with low vitamin D or folate levels.
  • What it means for you: If you have adequate vitamin D and folate levels, you may be protected from some of the harmful effects of plastic chemical exposure. This suggests maintaining good vitamin status is important, though reducing plastic exposure remains the best approach.

The Research Details

This was a long-term follow-up study that tracked real people over time. Researchers started with 8,378 healthy American adults and measured the levels of nine common plastic chemicals in their urine at the beginning of the study. These chemicals included phthalates (found in flexible plastics, cosmetics, and food packaging) and bisphenol A or BPA (found in hard plastics and can linings). The researchers also measured vitamin D and folate levels in the participants’ blood.

Over the next 8.5 years on average, the researchers tracked who died and what caused their deaths using official death records. They then looked at whether people with higher plastic chemical levels were more likely to have died, and whether having good vitamin levels changed this relationship.

This type of study is powerful because it follows real people in their normal lives rather than testing chemicals in a lab, making the results more relevant to everyday health.

This research approach is important because it shows what actually happens to people exposed to these chemicals in real life, not just in controlled experiments. By measuring multiple plastic chemicals together as a ‘mixture,’ the study reflects how we’re actually exposed—to many chemicals at once, not just one. The discovery that vitamins might protect against these effects is particularly valuable because it suggests a practical way people might reduce their risk.

This study has several strengths: it included a large, representative sample of Americans; it had a long follow-up period; and it used official death records to confirm outcomes. However, the study only measured plastic chemicals once at the beginning, so it couldn’t track how exposure changed over time. The study also couldn’t prove that plastic chemicals directly caused the deaths—only that they were associated with higher death rates. Additionally, the protective effect of vitamins was only seen in people with the lowest vitamin levels, suggesting that maintaining adequate (not just any) vitamin status matters.

What the Results Show

The study found clear connections between plastic chemical exposure and death risk. For every increase in the mixture of plastic chemicals (measured in thirds), the risk of dying from any cause went up by 35%, cancer deaths increased by 79%, and heart disease deaths increased by 83%. These increases were statistically significant, meaning they’re unlikely to have happened by chance.

The most striking finding was that these harmful effects only appeared in people with low vitamin D or low folate levels. In people with adequate or high levels of these vitamins, the plastic chemicals showed no increased death risk. This suggests that good vitamin status might act as a protective shield against plastic chemical exposure.

Based on these findings, researchers estimated that plastic chemical exposure may be responsible for about 10% of deaths in the US population, which could mean roughly 256,000 excess deaths per year. This is a substantial public health burden.

The study examined whether other factors changed the results, such as age, sex, race, and lifestyle factors like smoking and exercise. The associations between plastic chemicals and death remained strong even after accounting for these factors, suggesting the effect is independent of these other influences. The protective effect of vitamins was consistent across different groups, though the study had fewer participants in some subgroups.

Previous research has shown that individual plastic chemicals like BPA and phthalates can harm health, but this study is among the first to look at the combined effect of multiple plastic chemicals together. Earlier studies suggested that plastic chemicals might increase disease risk, but this study is one of the largest to directly link them to actual death rates in a general population. The finding about vitamin protection is relatively novel and suggests a new angle for prevention that hadn’t been emphasized in previous research.

The study measured plastic chemicals only once at the beginning, so it couldn’t account for changes in exposure over time. The study was observational, meaning researchers couldn’t randomly assign people to different exposure levels—they could only observe what happened. This means we can’t be completely certain that the plastic chemicals caused the deaths rather than something else. The study also couldn’t explain exactly how plastic chemicals might cause death. Additionally, the vitamin protective effect was only seen in people with very low vitamin levels, so the findings may not apply to people with adequate vitamin status.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, consider: (1) Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels through sunlight exposure, diet, or supplementation if recommended by your doctor (moderate confidence); (2) Eating folate-rich foods like leafy greens, beans, and fortified grains (moderate confidence); (3) Reducing plastic use where practical, such as avoiding heating food in plastic containers and choosing glass or stainless steel alternatives (moderate confidence based on this and other evidence); (4) Having your vitamin D and folate levels checked if you’re concerned about your health (low to moderate confidence, but reasonable preventive care).

Everyone should care about this research, but it’s especially relevant for people concerned about environmental health, those with low vitamin D or folate levels, and people looking for practical ways to reduce health risks. People with adequate vitamin levels may have less immediate concern, but reducing plastic exposure is still a good general health practice. Pregnant women, children, and people with certain health conditions should consult their doctors before making changes.

If you improve your vitamin D and folate levels, you might expect to see changes in blood work within weeks to months. However, the protective health effects against plastic chemical exposure would likely take years to become apparent, similar to how other health improvements develop over time.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly vitamin D and folate intake through food and supplements, plus monthly vitamin D blood test results if available. Set a goal of meeting recommended daily amounts: 600-800 IU of vitamin D daily and 400 mcg of folate daily for most adults.
  • Replace plastic food storage containers with glass alternatives, avoid microwaving food in plastic, and add one folate-rich food (spinach, broccoli, lentils, or fortified grains) to your daily meals. Track these swaps in the app to build the habit.
  • Create a monthly check-in to log vitamin D and folate sources consumed, track plastic use reduction efforts, and note any health markers if available. Set reminders for annual vitamin level testing if recommended by your healthcare provider.

This research shows an association between plastic chemical exposure and increased death risk, but does not prove that plastic chemicals directly cause death. The findings suggest vitamin D and folate may be protective, but this study cannot prove causation. These findings should not replace medical advice from your healthcare provider. Before making significant changes to your diet, supplements, or lifestyle based on this research, consult with your doctor, especially if you have existing health conditions, take medications, or are pregnant or nursing. This study was conducted in the US and may not apply equally to all populations. Individual results may vary based on genetics, overall health, and other factors.