Biohacker Bryan Johnson removes 85% of microplastics

Famed biohacker Bryan Johnson gives new meaning to the term “sperm cleansing.”

Sperm washing is a laboratory technique that separates healthy, active little guys from semen and debris for use in fertility procedures such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).

As part of his quest for immortality, Johnson said he has now found a way to improve the quality of his swim teams by removing microplastics. Microplastics are those ubiquitous tiny fragments that shed larger plastics as they degrade.

Johnson revealed on X this week that the concentration of microplastics in his semen dropped from 165 particles per milliliter in November 2024 to 20 particles per milliliter in July 2025.

“We decided that the most effective treatment for this reduction was the sauna, as it also eliminated most environmental toxins from my body, including those associated with various plastics,” Johnson, 48, wrote.

Johnson has been an advocate for the use of dry saunas, which are high-temperature rooms with low humidity.

He uses a dry sauna at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes every day while applying an ice pack to his groin area to “protect the health of his testicles and sperm.”

He noted that the levels of microplastics in his blood during the same period were “almost the same.”

“To our knowledge, this is the first report of a correlation between blood and semen microplastic levels (especially between the same individual at two time points) showing that detoxification of microplastics in semen is successful following that in the blood,” Johnson said.

Saunas are known to cause sweating, which releases trace amounts of certain toxins, but research shows that the high temperatures in saunas can actually have a negative impact on sperm quality and production.

It’s unclear whether there are any studies on using ice on your genitals for sauna use.

In the process of reducing his microplastic intake, Johnson also avoids some “big no-nos” like microwaving food in plastic containers and using plastic cutting boards, while relying on reverse osmosis water systems to filter the water.

Microplastics are an emerging field of research, so there’s still a lot we don’t know about these particles.

What we do know is that they are in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

Researchers have detected microplastics smaller than a grain of rice in the brain, heart, lungs, liver and placenta, as well as in body fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, breast milk and semen.

While it’s not entirely clear how microplastics affect sperm, research suggests they can disrupt hormone function and cause oxidative stress, potentially reducing sperm counts and interfering with fertility.

Worse, it’s difficult to track microplastic consumption and isolate problematic sources.

Johnson’s Blueprint company sells a $135 at-home microplastic test kit that it says is the first of its kind.

Users prick their fingers with a metal lancet instead of the standard plastic-cased lancet to prevent microplastic contamination.

The blood is smeared onto a card that is processed by a laboratory. Results will arrive via email within four to six weeks.

One problem is that Blueprint doesn’t interpret the results, so it can be difficult to determine if your levels are high and how to specifically reduce your intake.

Experts generally recommend avoiding single-use plastic bottles and utensils, choosing stainless steel water bottles, replacing plastic with glass food storage, limiting processed and packaged foods, and switching to natural fiber clothing.