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Forever chemicals: Hijacking genes to kill brain cells
Forever chemicals… two words we’ve all become intimately familiar with, whether we wanted to or not.
These manmade substances, found in practically everything, never degrade in the environment and end up contaminating our water, soil, air and even our food. They can build up in our bodies, disrupting hormones and leading to a host of health problems including obesity, celiac disease, liver damage and decreased fertility.
Studies have shown that they also raise the risk of diabetes, obesity, asthma and thyroid problems. Unfortunately, it appears we may have only seen the tip of the iceberg…
That’s because a team of scientists at the University at Buffalo has shown that forever chemicals impact our bodies and our health down to the genetic level — making changes that kill off brain cells and damage the nervous system.
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Ruining neuronal health
According to the researchers, per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, are particularly concerning because of their unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in brain tissues.
Fortunately, they were able to identify 11 genes that they believe hold the key to understanding the brain’s response to these pervasive chemicals.
Their research showed that these genes, critical for neuronal health, were consistently affected by PFAS exposure, either being sent into overdrive or having their action blocked when they came into contact with the forever chemicals.
For example, they found that of the six types of PFAS tested, all of the forever chemicals caused a gene key for neuronal cell survival to express less, and another gene linked to neuronal cell death to express more.
Scary right? Unfortunately, the scientists had even worse news…
The worst of the worst
The research also revealed which type of forever chemical is the biggest and baddest of all.
The study showed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) — a forever chemical once commonly used in nonstick pans and only recently labeled as hazardous by the EPA — was by far the most dangerous.
That’s because despite its small uptake in the body, PFOA altered the expression of an absolutely alarming number of genes — close to 600. (The highest number of genes the other compounds were capable of impacting rang in at 147.)
Specifically, PFOA decreased the expression of genes involved in synaptic growth (the formation of synapses between neurons in the nervous system) and neural function.
Together, exposure to the six PFAS results in alterations of vital biological pathways that affect:
- Hypoxia (low oxygen) signaling
- Oxidative stress
- Protein synthesis
- Amino acid metabolism
Each of these pathways is critical to healthy neuronal development and function.
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Reducing PFAS exposure
These genetic effects of PFAS make reducing your exposure one of the most important things you can do for your body.
Simple first steps include:
- Avoiding plastic – Skip plastic water bottles and throw out plastic dishware.
- Getting rid of non-stick cookware – Instead go for stainless steel or ceramic cookware.
- Eating organic – Because the pesticides that coat conventional fruits and vegetables contain forever chemicals, it’s best to stick with organic options whenever possible.
- Going natural for your personal care products – Look for natural, plant-based makeup, deodorant, menstrual products and hair care products.
- Filtering your water – Use a reverse osmosis filter is to remove as many PFAS as possible from your drinking water.
Finally, because we all have a buildup of forever chemicals in our bodies, consider taking steps to better support your body’s detox systems.
The best way to do this is to exercise and sweat on a regular basis. And you can also add these nine detoxifying foods to your diet to help cleanse and nourish your body from deep within.
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Sources:
These 11 genes may help us better understand forever chemicals’ effects on the brain — Science Daily
By Dr. Adria Schmedthorst
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