Fighting Forever Chemicals

PFAS is a term that denotes a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s. PFAS are used in countless everyday items to make products greaseproof, waterproof, stick proof, and stain resistant. They’re nearly impossible to avoid, showing up in everything from pizza boxes and makeup to carpets and waterproof clothing.

With thousands of types out there, PFAS have also been found in drinking water and food. Because PFAS break down slowly, if at all, people and animals are repeatedly exposed to them, and blood levels of some PFAS can build up over time. They have been linked with a range of detrimental health effects, including a potentially negative impact on bone health.

How prevalent are PFAS?

There are about 4,700 known PFAS chemicals. The National Exposure Report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), has found PFAS in the blood of almost every American.

In Canada, exposure to PFAS is almost universal, though less ubiquitous than it is in the US. The concentration levels have also lowered over time due to changes in government regulations as we recognize the toxic nature of these chemicals.

How are we exposed to PFAS?

People are most likely exposed to these chemicals by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS, or breathing air where PFAS are manufactured or are breaking down.

In the environment, PFAS can contaminate drinking water in public drinking water systems and private wells. The chemicals can accumulate in the bodies of fish, shellfish, livestock, dairy, and game animals that people eat.

The chemicals remain in the body until exposure ceases and, while blood levels may drop over time, amounts of PFAS continue to persist even after exposure ends.

What about children?

Because children are still developing, they may be more sensitive to the harmful effects of chemicals such as PFAS. They can also be exposed more than adults because they drink more water, eat more food, and breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. Young children also crawl on floors and put things in their mouths, behaviors which lead to a higher risk of exposure to PFAS contained in carpets, household dust, toys, and cleaning products.

Infants can also be exposed to PFAS through breast milk from mothers who have PFAS in their blood or from formula made with water containing PFAS, and it may also be possible for children to be exposed in utero during pregnancy.

What are the dangers of exposure?

The chemicals have become increasingly linked with negative health outcomes. These include:

• reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women
• developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes
• increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers
• lowered ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections
• interference with the body’s natural hormones
• increased cholesterol levels
• higher risk of obesity

How do PFAS affect bones?

Mounting evidence suggests that PFAS are also associated with lower bone mineral density in particular, which is a potential cause of bone diseases, such as osteoporosis.

Bone mineral density increases during adolescence, peaking between 20 and 30 years of age, then gradually decreases throughout adulthood. A person’s peak bone mineral density can help predict if they will get osteoporosis later in life.

According to one study, PFAS exposure was linked to decreased bone mineral density in adolescents over time. The researchers are now planning outreach efforts to help people learn how to limit their exposure, such as by avoiding nonstick pans and personal care products known to contain PFAS.

Along with limiting PFAS exposure, staying active and maintaining a healthy weight might slow the progression of bone mineral density loss, aiding future bone health and lowering risk of osteoporosis in adulthood.

This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue of alive magazine.