Your body contains a tiny amount of gold—about 0.2 milligrams! Most of it is in your blood, with smaller traces in your bones, liver, and kidneys. That’s not enough to make you rich—it’s less than a grain of sugar—but it’s a fascinating fact about human biology. Gold is a natural element, and tiny amounts get into your body through food, water, and air over time. Scientists estimate there’s about 0.0000003% gold in the average human.

Gold doesn’t play a biological role like iron or calcium, but it’s been used in medicine for centuries, from ancient Egypt to modern treatments for arthritis, because of its anti-inflammatory properties. The amount in your body is so small you’d need 5,000 people to collect just 1 gram of gold, worth about $60 today. Most gold on Earth comes from meteorites that hit billions of years ago, so in a way, you’re carrying a piece of cosmic history. This tiny sparkle in your system shows how even the smallest elements can bite into science in a big way.

Next time you’re feeling fancy, remember the gold in your blood—it’s a science snack that shines. Share this with your friends and come back for more on Bitefact!