Eating more fibers can help reduce PFAS levels in your body

A new study adds another reason to eat more vegetables: fiber -rich diets can help reduce PFAS concentrations in the body.

The PFAs, also known as “chemicals forever”, were found in water, soil, food and air. Exposure to these can contribute to certain types of cancer, a high rate of cholesterol and reproductive problems.

What does the study found?

Animal studies have shown that fibers help reduce PFAS concentrations. Researchers in the new study examined blood samples of 72 adult men with high cholesterol levels. The samples were taken from another clinical trial which tested the impact of an oat drink rich in fiber on the “bad” LDL cholesterol.

For the new analysis, they measured the PFAS levels in these same samples after the participants consumed the fiber rice oat drink for four weeks. Those who were part of the high fiber intervention plan had significantly lower concentrations of long chain PFAS compared to those who consumed a low fiber rice milk drink.

Why can fibers help eliminate your body’s PFAS?

When you eat fiber -rich foods, the fiber is formed in a gel in your intestine which helps prevent a certain absorption of fats and reduces cholesterol levels.

The new study suggests that the same frost could also help eliminate PFA from your body.

“Just as fibers can link cholesterol and prevent it from being absorbed, the fiber also links PFAs and prevents it from being absorbed by liver intestine in the bloodstream and vice versa,” Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, medical toxicologist at Medstar Georgety University which is not affiliated with the study.

To what extent are “chemicals forever” common?

In the United States, more than 98% of people in the United States probably have a certain amount of PFA in their bodies.

“They are used in all kinds of different household and commercial items, everything, from non-stick utensils to raincoat via the stains resistant carpet,” said Johnson-Arbor.

According to the study, fibers could help reduce PFOA and VPO, two types of long channel PFA that are no longer used in the United States, however, these chemicals can take years to decompose.

“Many more recent PFAS chemicals move in the body much faster, although this does not make them harmless,” said Kevin Loria, scientific journalist at Consumer Reports Who wrote a lot about PFAS and environmental contaminants, told Metwell in an email.

Do you have to add more fibers to your diet?

Additional research is necessary to confirm whether the fibers can help mitigate PFA damage. But the increase in your fiber consumption is accompanied by many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of diabetes and colorectal cancer.

Adults need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber per day, but most Americans do not comply with the recommended daily intake. If you want to increase fibers in your diet, be sure to add fibers gradually to avoid bloating and gas. Staying hydrated also helps reduce discomfort that comes with the consumption of more fibers.

There are also other ways to reduce APF in your daily life, such as installing a water filtration system for your drinking water or avoiding non -stick kitchen utensils.