“Forever chemicals” are increasingly becoming “chemicals everywhere.”

Persistent pollutants are now prevalent in environments around the world, silently persisting and accumulating. They are also ubiquitous in our bodies, routinely appearing in the human blood, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.

Officially known as perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), these synthetic compounds have been associated with serious health risks, many of which are caused by the havoc they wreak on our bodies. remains poorly understood, including the specific mechanisms that may be used to bring about this.

In a new study, researchers shed light on the effects of PFAS in human blood, uncover a link between the chemicals and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and explore how the chemicals exert their effects. It also revealed clues to explain it.

The study, led by researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, tested blood samples from more than 2,500 adults from Bonn, Germany, and the Dutch town of Riderdorp.

PFAS were detected in the blood of nearly all participants, ranging in age from 30 to 89 years. And while no one is safe from these chemicals, the study results suggest that young people may face greater risk, the authors say.

“There are clear signs that PFAS are having negative health effects,” says Monique Bretterer, director of population health sciences at DZNE. “And we found that for the same PFAS concentration in the blood, the adverse effects were more pronounced in younger subjects than in older subjects.”

PFAS have long been prized for their ability to repel water, fats, and dirt, and have been produced in large quantities and widely used since their introduction in the mid-20th century. The PFAS family currently includes thousands of different chemicals used in products ranging from cookware and cosmetics to textiles and dental floss.

The abundance and diversity of PFAS complicates efforts to study their health effects, but there is growing evidence of their potential dangers.

In a new study, researchers found that PFAS in the blood are associated with an “unfavorable lipid profile,” or arrangement of specific fat molecules in the blood, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. I discovered that there is.

“Our data show that there is a statistically significant correlation between PFAS in the blood and harmful blood lipids associated with cardiovascular risk,” Breteler says. “The higher the PFAS levels, the higher the concentration of these lipids.”

The association was evident even in people with low PFAS levels, the researchers noted.

Although this correlation does not prove that PFAS are responsible for the differences in lipid profiles, Breteller says the correlation is compelling and at least enough to warrant some precautions while research continues. says Mr. “I strongly advocate for stronger regulation of PFAS to protect health,” she says.

“Although we do not see any immediate health threat to the studied study participants, the situation remains alarming,” she added. “In the long term, the increased risk is very likely to have negative effects on the heart and cardiovascular system.”

The researchers used a mass spectrometer to analyze blood samples, taking advantage of new capabilities that provide unprecedented detail.

“Technology to analyze blood samples with the precision required for our study has only become available in the last few years,” says co-author and DZNE epidemiologist Elvia Landstra.

The study focused on the three most prevalent types of PFAS, known as PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS. Levels of 224 different blood lipids, metabolites, and amino acids were also identified, giving researchers a lot of data to work with.

“With this ‘non-targeted approach’, an intentionally broad approach without a pre-determined target, we demonstrate a relationship between PFAS concentrations and the problematic profile of fatty substances, so-called lipids. “We were able to do that,” Landstra said.

“These include the well-known cholesterol and various other blood lipids that are known to be risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”

Further research is needed to clarify the link between PFAS and undesirable blood lipids, including whether and how PFAS promote these effects and whether younger people are truly at greater risk. is still required.

In the meantime, Landstra says this study goes a long way in building the case against PFAS and reminding us that we are all full of this hidden toxic waste.

“Our study is the most detailed and has the largest database to date on this subject,” she says. “Previous studies had already suggested a correlation between PFAS and unhealthy blood lipids, but this link had never been as clear as it was in our study.”

This study exposure and health.