February 24, 2023 – Exposure to “forever chemicals” widely utilized in consumer products disrupts vital biological processes in children and young adults, a brand new study finds.
An vital finding was that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) impair the function of thyroid hormones, which in turn affects growth and metabolism, based on the study, which was published in Environmental health perspectivesThis could make children vulnerable to quite a few diseases later in life, including diabetes, heart problems and cancer, the study found said.
Another vital finding was that the disruption seemed to be brought on by a mix of PFAS somewhat than a single chemical of this kind.
PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t easily break down over time and remain in water, soil and the body. They are utilized in quite a few consumer products, akin to nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets, cosmetics and water-repellent clothing.
PFAS have already been linked to various health problems, including reduced birth weight and problems with the immune system. To the most effective of the study authors’ knowledge, that is the primary study to look at which biological processes are altered by exposure to multiple PFAS, said a Press release from the Keck School of Medicine on the University of Southern California.
The researchers examined blood samples from 312 children within the Study of At-Risk Latino Adolescents and 137 children within the Southern California Children's Health Study. All children had a combination of common PFAS of their blood, including PFOS, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOA and PFNA.
“While current policies focus on phasing out the use of individual PFAS, such as PFOS and PFOA, this research shows why the focus should be on reducing exposure to all PFAS chemicals,” said Leda Chatzi, MD, professor of population and public health sciences on the Keck School of Medicine. Chatzi can also be considered one of the study authors.
In October 2021, the Biden administration announced a to plan to cut back the quantity of PFAS released into the air, drinking and groundwater, and the food supply chain.