The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS appear to be aging men faster in their 50s and early 60s, a new study found.
Called forever chemicals due to the years it takes for them to break down, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances are present in the blood of an estimated 98% of Americans, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Epigenetic aging — a measurement of one’s biological age instead of chronological age — was most advanced in men, according to the study.
“The associations between PFAS exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging were strongest in men aged 50 – 65,” said senior study author Xiangwei Li, a professor of epidemiology at China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in an email.
“In younger men and those over 65, the associations were weaker and generally not statistically significant,” Li said. “We observed some associations in women, but they were generally smaller and less consistent than those seen in middle-aged men.”
The findings indicate a “sex-specific effect” that can be expected for chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system, a vital network that regulates key bodily functions such as growth, metabolism, mood and reproduction, said Jane Muncke, managing director and chief scientific officer at the Food Packaging Forum, who was not involved in the study.
The forum is a nonprofit foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, that focuses on science communication and research on plastics and other chemicals used in industry.
In men, the accumulation of PFAS may lower testosterone levels, impair sperm quality and increase risks of testicular and kidney cancers.
Earlier studies show women appear to eliminate certain PFAS faster than men due to pregnancy, breastfeeding and menstrual blood loss. Studies have also found the difference in PFAS accumulation between women and men narrows after menopause.
While the new study’s results are interesting, they “cannot be interpreted as cause-and-effect but rather are puzzle pieces, or building blocks, to establish biological plausibility,” Muncke said in an email.
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