Tag: PFAS

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease Environmental EffectsTags :

Thesis Finds ‘Forever Chemicals’ don’t Increase Cardiovascular Disease Risk

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Photo by Kouji Tsuru on Unsplash

A new thesis by Karolinska Institutet student Tessa Schillemans has found that exposure persistent environmental pollutants did not increase biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk – rather, exposure reduced them, raising further questions on their complex interactions with the environment and within the human body.

What is the thesis about?
The thesis is about a group of environmental pollutants called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also called “forever-chemicals”. Since we all are exposed and their chemical structure resembles that of fatty acids, we wanted to investigate whether exposure to PFAS associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, we also explored if we could gain insight in potential underlying molecular pathways by linking PFAS exposure to biological molecules in the blood.

Can you tell us about some interesting results?
We found no evidence that PFAS was linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the general population. If anything, rather the opposite – which also deserves careful consideration. We did observe associations with higher cholesterol, lower triglycerides and with lipid metabolism intermediates, which all point towards potential perturbations in lipid metabolism. 

What further research is needed in the area?
It is essential to fully understand any adverse consequences that PFAS may have, since they are omnipresent and persistent. Thus, epidemiological studies involving other outcomes and vulnerable subgroups (such as pregnant women and children) should also be performed, as disturbances in lipid metabolism could impact other physiological processes. For a deeper mechanistic understanding, integration of data from different biological systems (genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome) in human and experimental settings would be optimal. Additionally, since humans are exposed to many different chemicals simultaneously and these could interact with each other, there is a need for studies that investigate multiple exposures at the same time (exposome studies).

Source: Karolinska Institutet

Categories : Environmental Effects PaediatricsTags :

PFAS and Phthalates Linked to Reduced Bone Density in Teen Boys

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Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates (two types of endocrine-disrupting chemicals) may be associated with lower areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in teenage boys, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and potential EDCs are mostly man-made found in various materials. By interfering with the body’s endocrine system, endocrine disruptors produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in humans, abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children. These include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in non-stick pots and pans, clothing and food packaging, and are increasingly being found in US water supplies. Phthalates are used in medical devices, personal care products, food processing and children’s toys.

“Adolescence is an important time when our bodies build up bone. Almost all US children and adolescents are exposed to PFAS and phthalates, but few studies have looked at how these chemicals could be impacting our bone health,” said Abby F. Fleisch, MD, MPH, of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute and Maine Medical Center. “Our research found an association between certain PFAS and phthalates and reduced bone mineral density in adolescent males. Because bone accrual primarily occurs during adolescence, if replicated, this finding may have implications for lifelong bone health.”

The researchers accessed data on urine and blood samples from 453 boys and 395 girls from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants were on average 15.1 years old, and found that higher levels of PFAS and phthalates may be associated with lower aBMD in adolescent males. The same effect was not found in girls; rather a slight increase in aBMD was observed for certain PFAS and phthalates.

The researchers noted that bone mineral density tracks across a lifetime, so if the same results are seen in longitudinal cohorts, this finding may have implications for lifelong skeletal health.

Source: The Endocrine Society