The Modern Problem
Studies now confirm that microplastics are found in human stool, blood, placenta, and even lung tissue. Most exposure begins in the gut, where plastic particles can adhere to the mucosal surface and alter the microbial balance.
Because the body cannot easily degrade these materials, the digestive tract becomes the first and most critical site for action.
Our Approach: The Binder-Barrier Method
Sifts was designed to address modern environmental exposure through a simple daily system that works with your body.
1. Bind – Positively charged particles interact electrostatically with microplastic particles, supporting their excretion through natural digestion.
2. Buffer – Apple pectin and baobab fruit extract form a gentle fiber matrix that slows transit and encourages complete clearance.
3. Protect – Slippery elm and magnesium glycinate help maintain mucosal integrity, calm the gut lining, and support healthy microbial balance.
Together, these natural compounds form Sifts’ Binder-Barrier Method – a first-of-its-kind approach to supporting gut resilience in the face of modern environmental exposures.
The Research Behind Sifts
Chitosan: Proven Binder
In a small 2024 human crossover study (PMID: 40646942), a single 0.8 g dose of chitosan taken with a standardized meal increased microplastic particle excretion in stool by about 45%(from 654 ± 104 to 965 ± 165 particles per 5 g of stool) within 12 hours.
Further, in a recent animal study (PMID: 40268980), dietary chitosan significantly increased fecal elimination of ingested polyethylene microplastics over a short time period, reducing the microplastic burden in the gut.
Sifts uses medium-molecular-weight, shellfish-derived chitosan with ≥ 85% degree of deacetylation – optimized for binding capacity and digestive tolerability.
Apple Pectin: Fiber and Flow
High-DE pectin exhibits strong water-binding and gel-forming properties that increase intestinal viscosity (J Food Sci, DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.17438). Pectin is also fermented by the gut microbiota in ways that support beneficial bacterial populations (PMID: 36079886), together creating gut conditions that may favor the transit of non-absorbed particles.
Baobab: Antioxidant Defense
Baobab fruit pulp, rich in polyphenols (PMID: 19093269), contributes antioxidant protection that may counter oxidative stress caused by environmental plastics while supporting microbial diversity.
Slippery Elm: Gut Lining Shield
Traditional mucilaginous compounds like slippery elm form a gel-like coating that soothes the intestinal lining and may help limit particle adhesion (WHO Monograph, Ulmus rubra).
Magnesium Glycinate: Barrier Support
Glycine – the amino acid bound to magnesium in this form – supports tight-junction function and epithelial repair (PMID: 29093983), reinforcing the gut’s natural defense against external stressors.
Safety, Quality, and Scientific Review
Sifts is formulated for daily use in healthy adults and built on rigorous scientific and quality standards. Each ingredient was selected for human compatibility, regulatory compliance, and long-term safety – and every claim is reviewed by leading researchers in microplastic and gut health to ensure alignment with current evidence and biological plausibility.
- Manufactured in the United States in GMP- and FDA-registered facilities
- Third-party tested for heavy metals and contaminants
- Free of plasticizers, phthalates, and synthetic additives
- Packaged in a plastic-free kraft pouch, with a reusable glass jar and metal lid included in your first order to minimize environmental impact
- Reviewed by experts in microplastic exposure and gut barrier science
- Wang et al., 2024. Effects of dietary chitosan on microplastic excretion in healthy adults. PMID: 40646942
- Liu et al., 2023. Chitosan supplementation facilitates removal of ingested microplastics in vivo. PMID: 40268980
- Xiang T, Yang R, Li L, Lin H, Kai G. 2024. Research progress and application of pectin: A review. Journal of Food Science. PMID: 39394044.
- Pascale N, Gu F, Larsen N, Jespersen L, Respondek F. 2024. The potential of pectins to modulate the human gut microbiota evaluated by in vitro fermentation: A systematic review. Nutrients. PMID: 36079886.
- Chadare FJ et al., 2009. Baobab food products: composition and nutritional value. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 49(3): 254-74. PMID: 19093269
- World Health Organization. Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants – Ulmus rubra. 2009.
- Schuchardt JP & Hahn A., 2017. Intestinal absorption and bioavailability of magnesium: an update. Curr Nutr Food Sci 13(4): 260-278. PMID: 29093983