According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, "PFAS were detected in the breast milk, umbilical cord blood, or bloodstreams of 99 percent of participants."

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of thousands of synthetic "forever chemicals" used since the 1940s to make products heat-, water-, and stain-resistant.

So, why are they so bad? Let's find out.

How PFAS Can Disrupt Your Health and Performance

Erik D. Olson, NRDC’s senior strategic director of health, says PFAS because. “First, the structure of PFAS means they resist breakdown in the environment and in our bodies."

"Second, they move relatively quickly through the environment, making their contamination hard to contain. Third, for some PFAS, even extremely low levels of exposure can negatively impact our health.”

These chemicals build up in the liver, from where they disrupt lipid metabolism. According to a 2023 review covering 29 studies, "PFOA and PFOS were significantly associated with TC and LDL-C levels in adults. Whether these findings may translate into an elevated cardiovascular disease risk associated with PFAS exposure warrants further investigation."

Cardiovascular issues, liver problems, cancer, endocrine disorders, and metabolic issues can all be drastically increased by forever chemicals.

That's not all. It's really difficult for your body to break down those chemicals. PFAs can stay in your bloodstream for a long, long time.

Let's say you had 10 units of PFAS in your body today, you’d still have about 5 units five years from now.

Where Athletes and Gym-Goers Encounter PFAS

PFAS exposure doesn’t come from a single source; it builds up over time. Some items that contain significant PFAS levels include:

• Non-stick cookware (e.g., Teflon)
• Waterproof and stain-resistant textiles (e.g., rain jackets, carpets, furniture)
• Food packaging (e.g., microwave popcorn bags, wrappers for fast food, pizza box liners)
• Personal care products (e.g., waterproof mascara, sunscreen)
• Household products (e.g, stain and water repellents, cleaning products)
• Firefighting foams
• Paints, waxes, and other surface coatings

So, how to limit the exposure? Well, let’s take a look.

Smart Moves to Reduce Exposure

You don’t need to overhaul your entire lifestyle, just make strategic moves

Use stainless steel and ceramic rather than PFA-packed utensils

Do not pick anything that says ‘waterproof’ or ‘stain-repellent’ unless the brand specifically confirms PFAS-free materials.

Limit fast food and takeout, as PFAS can be found in certain fast-food wrappers and containers.

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Joyita Das