PFAS put on their ‘without end chemical compounds’ nickname properly: Poisonous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as soon as extensively used to make nonstick pans, are pervasive within the setting and even in our our bodies. Actually, an evaluation performed by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reported that PFAS are current within the blood of a whopping 97 % of Individuals¹.

So, are you able to take away PFAS out of your physique as soon as it’s there? Two new research appear to have discovered a method of counterbalancing this omnipresence: fiber. The collaborative research discovered {that a} soluble fiber complement might act like a magnet for 2 of the most typical and poisonous PFAS, bundling them up and eradicating them from our our bodies as simply as dropping the youngsters off on the pool.

Is Fiber the Hero in Our Struggle In opposition to PFAS?

The 2 new research had been led by Professor Dhimiter Bello, affiliate dean of analysis within the Zuckerberg School of Well being Sciences, and Jennifer Schlezinger, Professor of Environmental Well being at Boston College, and printed in Toxicology and Utilized Pharmacology² and Environmental Well being³. The thought got here to Schlezinger when she was looking for a option to scale back her personal ldl cholesterol with out counting on remedy.

“As a scientist, I had a life-meets-science [moment],” she says. “In printed analysis research, I discovered that consuming gel-forming fibers can improve the elimination of bile acids, which in flip reduces ldl cholesterol within the blood. The liver then pulls ldl cholesterol out of the blood to switch the misplaced bile acids. It occurred to me that bile acids and PFAS have comparable chemical traits, and each are recirculated between the liver, the bile and the intestine.”

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Findings of the Fiber and PFAS Research

Bello’s lab developed strategies for measuring PFAS in human tissues and organic fluids, and collectively, the researchers led a number of pilot research to establish the consequences of an oat beta-glucan complement on the absorption of PFAS. After 4 weeks, they discovered that the fiber complement had decreased the absorption of long-chain PFAS like PFOA and PFOS by eight %.

“By consuming gel-forming fibers akin to psyllium with a meal, we are able to entice PFAS contained in the fiber gel, which might then be eliminated by way of feces,” explains Bello.

Given the truth that an estimated 80 % of U.S. navy bases are identified to have elevated PFAS contamination, the Division of Protection’s Poisonous Exposures Analysis Program has a vested curiosity in any strategies of eradicating PFAS from the physique. The division awarded the group a $1.1 million three-year grant to proceed their analysis.

“We’re nonetheless mid-experiment however we’re seeing very promising issues,” Schlezinger informed the Guardian⁴. “The bottom line is that that is possible, accessible and economical.”

The Risks of PFAS

Nobody desires poisonous chemical compounds of their physique, however PFAS are significantly worrisome. PFAS are a category of about 15,000 chemical compounds primarily used to make merchandise water- and grease-resistant. Analysis has linked PFAS publicity to quite a lot of well being points, together with most cancers, heart problems, liver illness, excessive ldl cholesterol, kidney illness and immune suppression.

PFAS have lengthy been generally utilized in nonstick cookware surfaces like Teflon. And whereas many manufacturers have eradicated PFAS from their formulation, some nonetheless use these chemical compounds (even after they declare to not!), making it all of the extra necessary to select non-toxic cookware on your kitchen. 

PFAS are additionally utilized in hearth extinguishing foams, grease-resistant meals packaging, biosolids, and a few textiles. Folks can ingest them by the use of meals which were uncovered, like fish, and sources of public consuming water which were contaminated by pesticides with PFAS. The Environmental Safety Company introduced plans to cut back limits for PFAS in consuming water in March⁵, greater than a full 12 months after the Biden administration finalized nationwide requirements that might have decreased PFAS publicity for hundreds of thousands of individuals.

PFAS Are Bioaccumulative

Though understanding the right way to keep away from PFAS can go a good distance in the direction of stopping publicity, it’s not all the time doable to fully forestall ingestion. PFAS are water-soluble and are thus fairly simply assimilated into the physique. And as soon as they’re there, their lengthy half-life — between two and 5 years, based on some estimates⁶ — implies that they’re extra prone to have poisonous results.

“PFAS actually simply enter the physique, however the issue is available in that we are able to’t break them down, and we are able to’t get them out of the physique,” says Schlezinger. “One thing I inform my toxicology college students on a regular basis is a key precept in toxicology: the longer one thing stays within the physique, the extra possible it’s to trigger toxicity. So, as a result of PFAS can’t go away the physique simply, they construct up in focus.”

The Advantages of Fiber Don’t Finish with PFAS

These new research affirm earlier analysis associating elevated fiber consumption with decreased PFAS absorption. A 2021 research in Setting Worldwide discovered that growing dietary fiber consumption was related to a greater than 3 % lower in PFOA and a greater than 6 % lower in PFOS⁷. 

Equally, a 2022 mouse research printed in Environmental Well being Views discovered that soluble fiber supplementation might scale back sure metabolic results of PFOS⁸, and earlier this 12 months, a human trial in Environmental Well being discovered that the advantages of fiber dietary supplements included decreased PFAS concentrations in grownup males⁹.

However that’s not the top of the well being advantages of fiber. Consuming fiber has been discovered to cut back coronary heart illness danger¹⁰, regulate immune perform¹¹, and defend in opposition to sure cancers¹². Elevated fiber consumption can be useful for metabolic well being, weight management, and intestine well being.

The foremost drawback? Individuals aren’t getting almost sufficient. The Nationwide Institutes of Well being estimates that as little as 5 % of the American inhabitants consumes the beneficial stage of fiber¹³.

Soluble Fiber vs. Insoluble: What’s the Distinction?

Fiber is available in two varieties: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber mixes with water to gradual digestion. This sort of fiber is related to a lowered danger of coronary heart illness and lowered levels of cholesterol, to not point out the PFAS discount within the latest analysis. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and serves to bulk out stool to assist waste cross extra simply. Whereas PFAS discount particularly requires soluble fiber, we want an excellent steadiness of each for wholesome digestion.

Finest Sources of Fiber

Nice sources of soluble fiber embrace beans like black beans and lima beans, however you’ll additionally discover it in oatmeal, seeds, nuts, and fruits. Nice sources of insoluble fiber embrace complete grains like brown rice or wheat bran, berries, and skin-on fruits like apples and pears. A mixture of each is a good way to advertise improved well being — and scale back the PFAS in your physique on the similar time.

Learn Extra on Natural Authority

Sources:

1. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/well being/matters/brokers/pfc
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041008X24003879?viapercent3Dihub 
3. https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-025-01165-8
4. https://www.theguardian.com/setting/2025/could/11/pfas-dietary-fiber-forever-chemicals
5. https://apnews.com/article/pfas-forever-chemicals-trump-zeldin-epa-water-a1c15348e9fc42bd22b10d0329b2f321
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123025471
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020322479
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36331819/
9. https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-025-01165-8
10. https://instruments.niehs.nih.gov/srp/researchbriefs/view.cfm?Brief_ID=303
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10501836/
12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7589116/
13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6124841/

Tags: fiber Perpetually Chemical substances pfas soluble fiber sources of fiber