Our environmental choices affect our future generations — even down to their genes.
What’s happening?
According to the Guardian, research has found PFAS, or forever chemicals, are accumulating in the testes, a development that could significantly impact children’s health.
The study, conducted on mice, found that these toxic chemicals can damage sperm during crucial developmental periods, potentially leading to liver disease and higher cholesterol, especially in male offspring. This research highlights the growing concern about how paternal exposure to toxic chemicals can affect the health and development of future generations.
Richard Pilsner, a co-author of the study, said in the Guardian report that this research adds to other studies that show how these chemicals “can really impact the health, development and future diseases of the next generation.”
Why is PFAS presence concerning for child development?
PFAS exist in many everyday products and are incredibly hard to avoid. They are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they take decades to centuries or even millennia to break down — and thus they accumulate in humans. These chemicals are linked to a host of severe health problems, including cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, and “plummeting sperm counts,” as the Guardian noted.
The study found that PFAS alters sperm DNA methylation, a process that turns genes on and off. These changes in sperm DNA can be passed down when an egg is fertilized, impacting how children develop and their health as they grow up. The interference from PFAS can change genes in a way that affects how the liver produces cholesterol, causing higher levels.
Additionally, PFAS exposure has been found to affect genes related to brain development, although the study did not check for these potential effects on children.
What’s being done about PFAS in child development?
The study looked at low levels of PFAS exposure and included both types: long-chain and short-chain, as the news outlet summarized. The short-chain PFAS are claimed by industry to be safe and not build up in the body. However, this research shows that even these “safe” PFAS can still be found in the tissues or blood of animals.
Efforts to lower PFAS exposure are ongoing. Federal limits for some compounds in water are being implemented. Additionally, public health advocates recommend using filtration systems to reduce the prevalence of these chemicals in water.
Individuals can protect themselves by avoiding nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing and by educating themselves on products that commonly contain PFAS.
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