The Research Behind Sifts
Chitosan: Clinically Studied Digestive Binder
In a 2026 pilot-controlled human study, daily chitosan supplementation was associated with lower measured circulating microplastic levels in blood. 11 healthy adults took chitosan for 15 days, while 10 matched controls received placebo. Researchers measured microplastics in blood using stereomicroscopy, SEM, and µFTIR. After 15 days, mean blood microplastic concentration in the chitosan group decreased 26.3% (from 1.84 ± 0.28 µg/mL to 1.34 ± 0.20 µg/mL), while the placebo group showed no significant change (PMID: 42201087).
In a 2025 human crossover study (PMID: 40646942), a single 0.8 g dose of chitosan taken before a standardized meal increased microplastic particle excretion in stool the following morning by ~45%(from 656 ± 110 to 965 ± 165 particles per 5 g of stool).
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
Pectin exhibits gel-forming and water-binding properties that support its function as a dietary fiber 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: 36080328), 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: 27029941, 34977370), reinforcing the gut’s natural defense against external stressors.