They’re in your pans, your food wrappers, your water and maybe even your bloodstream. Now, new research suggests PFAS, often called forever chemicals, may also be affecting your metabolism.
A new study from Mount Sinai finds that higher blood levels of PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, may be linked to a significantly greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These so-called forever chemicals are used to make products resistant to water, heat, grease and stains, but they don’t easily break down in the environment or the body.
Published in eBioMedicine, the study followed 360 adults, half with a recent type 2 diabetes diagnosis and half without. The researchers found that each increase in PFAS exposure was tied to a 31% increase in diabetes risk.
“PFAS are synthetic chemicals that resist heat, oil, water, and stains, and are found in countless everyday consumer products,” said Vishal Midya, PhD, MStat, corresponding author and Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. “Because they don’t break down easily, PFAS accumulate in the environment — and in human bodies. Our study is one of the first to examine how these chemicals may disrupt the body’s metabolism in ways that increase diabetes risk — particularly in diverse US populations.”
Specifically, the researchers found that PFAS may interfere with how the body processes nutrients and medications, two key systems that affect blood sugar. The data suggest these chemicals could throw off glucose regulation, potentially setting the stage for diabetes in some people.
“This research leverages an exposomics framework to characterize environmental impacts and associated metabolic alterations contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes in vulnerable US populations,” said Damaskini Valvi, MD, PhD, MPH, senior author and Associate Professor of Public Health and Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Findings can help us design more effective interventions for the early prevention of type 2 diabetes in the future, taking into account individuals’ exposures to environmental chemicals along with other well-known genetic, clinical, and lifestyle factors implicated in diabetes development.”
Translation? Researchers are looking at how long-term chemical exposure interacts with everything else, from your DNA to your diet, to influence disease risk over time.
If you’re looking to mitigate your risk, there are a few things you can do. While PFAS aren’t easy to avoid completely, small steps can make a difference:
Switch your cookware: Choose stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic instead of nonstick.
Filter your water: Look for filters certified to reduce PFAS.
Watch for water-resistant coatings on clothes, furniture, or packaging.
Avoid grease-proof fast-food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags when possible.
It’s not about eliminating every exposure. It’s about reducing the ones you can.
This research was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.