A new study has linked several types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women.
What's happening?
Medical Xpress covered the findings, which were published in the journal Toxicological Sciences. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looked at data and samples from 70 postmenopausal women in Turkey. About a third of the women had already been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, while another third had coronary microvascular disease. The remaining women had no signs of heart disease.
The scientists found that one type of PFAS called PFOS was closely associated with coronary artery disease, while another called PFOA was more predictive of coronary microvascular disease. Each compound affected pro-inflammatory pathways in different ways, according to the researchers.
"The PFAS we studied affected the abundance of circulating pro-inflammatory factors differently. We did not expect that," lead author Alicia Arredondo Eve said, per Medical Xpress. "PFOA and PFOS aren't that different in terms of their chemical structure. Our results show you can't lump all PFAS together."
Why is this research important?
The findings add to a growing body of research on the health effects of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals." This group of around 15,000 compounds is used to make things such as water-repellent clothing and nonstick cookware.
Because of their pervasiveness in the environment, these compounds have made their way into our food and water supplies. For instance, a global study found that about 31% of groundwater samples and about 16% of surface water samples contained high levels of these forever chemicals despite not being located near any known source of PFAS contamination.
Unsurprisingly, studies suggest that the majority of Americans have PFAS in their blood and body tissues. So far, as detailed by The Guardian, scientists have linked PFAS exposure to health problems including cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, lowered sperm counts, and more.
What's being done about PFAS?
A number of nations have banned certain PFAS compounds or imposed restrictions on them. For instance, PFOA was banned globally in 2020 as part of the Stockholm Convention, a health treaty among 186 countries. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency started phasing out PFAS in 2006 and is continuing to take action to combat these chemicals.
Because PFAS are all around us, it's impossible to avoid them altogether. However, you can limit your exposure by taking actions such as avoiding nonstick cookware and limiting your purchases of stain- or water-resistant clothing. You can also seek out PFAS-free brands.
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