PFAS is a component of non-stick cookware made with Teflon, microwave popcorn, and is found in a variety of medications: anesthetics, nerve agents, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, antihistamines, cholesterol-lowering medications, anti-malarials, chemotherapy, arthritis medications, psychotropics, and steroids. Of course, you should not stop taking vital medication for that reason, but it is important to know about the possible side effects.
Possibly the most overlooked source in our immediate environment is our drinking and shower water.
At this point, anyone who takes their health seriously should consider getting a water filter as well as having a filter installed on their shower head. Healthy food matters only a little if we are daily exposed to toxins through our water supply - and yes, the water we shower in is also a significant source, as studies have shown that several chemicals are easily absorbed via the skin.
In studies, PFAS has been found in 98% of us. It is associated with various diseases in humans, including thyroid disease, low birth weight, and chronic kidney disease. Bioaccumulation of fluorides has become a growing public health concern as new studies suggest reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity and liver damage, and some fluorides are considered probable carcinogens.
Another disturbing fact worth noting is that Sodium Fluoride carries aluminum across the blood brain barrier where it may be a factor in the development of Alzheimer's.
In the brain, fluoride can calcify the pineal gland, which is responsible for your body's production of melatonin. Without sufficient melatonin, your body is deprived of effective sleep, and then your thyroid (metabolism) will not be able to function properly. At the clinic, I typically screen my clients for over 200 different chemicals and pesticides, but currently there is there no effective way to measure PFAS in the body, since blood tests for PFAS only reflect the last 48 hours of exposure and therefore cannot be used to assess overall body burden. Treatment for PFAS is therefore also difficult to evaluate, when we do not have precise methods to assess before and after levels in the body. And it seems that PFAS are really hard to get rid of.
However, it must be said that iodine and vitamin D compete with the fluorine substances for absorption.
Therefore, it makes sense to ensure that one's vitamin D and iodine levels are optimal, as I typically see that 80% of the clients I test are low in these substances - and thus more vulnerable to accumulating the fluorine substances. Studies suggest that vitamin D and iodine can also help reduce the fluorine substances once they have entered the body. I often see clients where it can take longer than usual to bring these levels up - possibly because the substances are initially used to detoxify fluorine substances. But we need more research in the field and better methods to measure exact body burden before and after intervention.