Alarm over forever chemicals as scientists find 'clear' proof the toxic chemicals lurking in our blood can harm the heart

Toxic chemicals lurking in cookware, make-up and toiletries might be harming the heart, another study suggested today.

Scientists have for years warned about the dangers of perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Dubbed 'forever chemicals' because they can linger in the environment for hundreds of years, they have been linked to everything from cancer to infertility.

But the latest evidence by Dutch and German researchers suggests that the impact of PFAS on human health could be even greater than suspected. 

Tests showed 'clear' signs PFAS led to higher levels of 'harmful' blood lipids, such as cholesterol and other fatty substances. 

Scientists have for years warned about the dangers of perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Dubbed 'forever chemicals' — because they can linger in the environment for thousands of years — they have been linked to everything from cancer to infertility. But the latest evidence by Dutch and German researchers suggests the impact of PFAS in the blood could be even greater than suspected 

The findings do not prove the plastic particles cause adverse heart issues as the patients could have been exposed to other risk factors. Scientists said the results, however, should serve as a warning that 'there may be no safe levels below which exposure is without health hazard'. Pictured, PFAS foam gathers at the the Van Etten Creek dam in Oscoda Township, Michigan in 2018

Excess lipids or fats in the blood can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, studies show.

The findings do not prove the chemicals, added to cookware, carpets, textiles and other items to make them more water- and stain-repellant, cause any adverse heart issues because other factors could be at play.

Scientists said the results, however, should serve as a warning that 'there may be no safe levels below which exposure is without health hazard'.

Study author Professor Monique Breteler, director of population health sciences at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), said: 'We see clear signs of a harmful effect of PFAS on health. 

'We have found at the same PFAS concentration in the blood, the negative effects are more pronounced in younger subjects than in older ones.

'Our data shows a statistically significant correlation between PFAS in the blood and harmful blood lipids linked to cardiovascular risk.'

However, she noted: 'The higher the PFAS level, the higher the concentration of these lipids. 

'Taken strictly, this is not yet proof that PFAS chemicals cause unfavorable blood lipid profiles.'

PFAS are a class of chemicals that are more properly known as per and polyfluoroalkyl substances. 

Famed for their durability and stain resistant properties, they have been used in a host of products from nonstick cookware, to clothes, packaging, cosmetics and even children's toys. 

But industries are now moving away from them because of their detrimental impacts. 

When PFAS enter the body either through food and water that people eat and drink or by inhaling contaminated air, they can distribute throughout the body in tissues and organs.

PFAS has previously been linked to kidney cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer, among others. 

While these links are not definitive and research is ongoing, part of the concern is because PFAS are so ubiquitous in modern life and persist so long in the environment they could infiltrate water supplies, further increasing exposure.

The Government's Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) currently sets a limit of 0.1 micrograms per litre (μg/L) for PFAS in UK tap water, with the body running a specific programme testing for levels in British water supplies.

In their study, researchers at DZNE and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands analysed blood samples from over 2,500 Dutch men and women aged between 30 and 89. 

PFAS were detected in the blood of almost all test subjects.

Professor Breteler added: 'Even if we don't see an immediate health threat for the study participants we examined, the situation is still worrying. 

'In the long term, the increased risk may very well have a negative impact on the heart and cardiovascular system.'

The findings, based on three of the most common types of PFAS (PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS) were published in the journal Exposure and Health.  

All three had 'statistically significant associations' with higher lipid levels, cholesterol, fatty acids as well as albumin, a protein made by the liver. 

The associations were also almost always stronger in the younger compared to the older age group. 

'We interpret our data to indicate that even low PFAS levels in the general population can have a detrimental effect on lipid metabolism,' the team added. 

'Stricter regulations may be required for all PFAS substances. 

'Furthermore, due to the persistent nature of PFAS and their recirculation in the environment, there is a need to actively remove these chemicals from the environment—methods for which are under development. 

'The combination of the well-documented persistence of PFAS and their harmful effects ensures that exposure to these substances is an enduring public health concern, unless and until we find ways to effectively eliminate PFAS from our environment.'

But researchers acknowledged their findings did not assess organ specific accumulation of PFAS.

Future studies should assess specific organ biopsies to investigate the effect of PFAS on different markers of health, they said.