Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in a variety of industrial and consumer products. Known as "forever chemicals," PFAS are highly resistant to breakdown, accumulating in the environment and living creatures. PFAS exposure has been linked to many health issues, including cancer, immune system suppression, and metabolic disorders.

Zongxi Zhao, a PhD student at Lancaster University, has now confirmed they are responsible for accelerated biological aging as measured by an increase in the inflammatory peptide CRP.

Using data from almost 15,000 adults within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), four PFAS compounds were assessed for their effects on biological aging using an advanced artificial intelligence-based tool that estimates a person’s biological age by incorporating both chronological age and specific health indicators. These biomarkers provide insight into cellular and physiological aging processes beyond simple years, helping to predict aging-related health risks like mortality and age-associated diseases.

Higher PFAS exposure was found to accelerate biological aging. Exposure to each PFAS compound was associated with aging acceleration, with effects ranging from 3.3 to 14.9 years of increased biological age in exposed subjects. How these aging effects occurred were examined using two mediators - the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index (representing metabolic health) and CRP (a biomarker of inflammation).

CRP mediated a substantial portion of the aging acceleration, whereas TyG was not seen to be significant, suggesting inflammation rather than metabolic dysfunction is the primary mechanism by which PFAS affects biological aging. Furthermore, vulnerable groups, including women, low-income individuals, and those with lower BMI, showed stronger associations between PFAS exposure and accelerated aging. This may be due to differing exposure levels in these groups, influenced by socioeconomic factors like access to PFAS-free environments and lifestyle differences.

Zongxi Zhao said “Unhealthy biological aging is related to higher incidence of diverse age-related diseases, even higher all-cause mortality. Therefore, our study suggests that the effects of PFOA on biological aging acceleration should be of concern and more action plans to control its effects should be launched.”

Although the study's design limits direct causal conclusions, and further longitudinal studies are needed, the results suggest stricter public health policies to control PFAS exposure are needed, due to their persistence and potential serious health risks.