PFAS UPDATE: PFAS and Decreased Bone Density

The Keck School of Medicine of USC has recently released the results of a study of over 304 adolescents and their exposure to PFAS. Not only is PFAS known to be a risk factor in an increasing list of cancers but it is now coinciding with a decrease in bone mineral density over time. The impacts were slightly different for the 137 young adults that were tested. Their baseline bone density was lower but there were no observable differences over time.

This comes at a time when we are learning that the exposure of our population to PFAS chemicals starts in the womb. Before a child is even born and directly after through the milk of their mother, they are exposed to historic levels of PFAS chemicals. What this means for their long-term development will still have to be seen but for now, we see that instances of bone-related illnesses such as osteoporosis are expected to rise.

To read more about this research study, check out this article by the Keck School of Medicine.