PFAS found in most Americans linked to rapid biological aging
Frontiers
As a result, PFAS have spread widely. They are now routinely
detected in water, soil, wildlife, and human tissue. Some of these compounds
have been linked to serious health problems, including certain cancers,
obesity, infertility, and hormone disruption.
Several older, so-called 'legacy' PFAS, including
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and
perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHS), have been targeted for global phaseout under
the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. However, newer
PFAS have since entered the market, including uses tied to emerging
technologies such as AI data centers.
Study Links Specific PFAS to Faster Biological Aging
"Here we show that specific forever chemicals, namely
perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), appear to
accelerate biological aging, with middle-aged men being the most vulnerable
group," said Dr. Xiangwei Li, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University
School of Medicine in China and the corresponding author of a new study in
Frontiers in Aging.
"These findings suggest that some newer PFAS
alternatives are not necessarily low-risk replacements and warrant serious
attention regarding their environmental impact."
To investigate, Li and colleagues analyzed publicly
available data from 326 older adults who participated in the US National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000. The group was
nationally representative and randomly selected. Blood samples from each
participant were tested for 11 different PFAS. Researchers also examined the
DNA 'methylome' -- an epigenetic marker regulating gene expression -- in blood
cells. Participants completed questionnaires detailing their demographics, socioeconomic
status, and lifestyle habits.
Using these methylation patterns, the team applied 12
established and newer 'epigenetic clocks' to estimate each person's biological
age. Biological age reflects how old the body appears at a cellular level,
which may differ from chronological age. Earlier NHANES research has suggested
that higher PFAS levels in the blood are associated with faster biological
aging, possibly due to inflammation.
Speeding Up the Aging Clock
PFNA and PFOSA were detected in 95% of participants. Higher
levels of these two chemicals were strongly linked to accelerated epigenetic
aging in men between 50 and 64 years old. This association was not observed in
women.
PFNA and PFOSA were first developed in the 1950s and 1960s.
Today, they are still used in consumer and industrial products because they
repel water, grease, and stains and can tolerate heat and corrosion. Like other
PFAS, they are highly persistent, build up in the body over time, and have been
associated with toxic health effects.
Other PFAS detected in at least 85% of participants included
2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (EPAH),
2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (MPAH), PFOS, PFOA, and
PFHS. Overall PFAS levels did not differ between men and women or across age
groups. In addition, EPAH, MPAH, PFHS, PFOA, and PFOS were not linked to
changes in biological age.
The researchers concluded that not all PFAS affect the body
in the same way. The impact on epigenetic and biological aging appears to
depend on the specific compound. They argue that regulations should expand
beyond older legacy PFAS to also consider PFNA and PFOSA.
Why Middle Age May Be a Sensitive Window
But why were middle-aged men most affected?
"Midlife is a sensitive biological window where the
body becomes more susceptible to age-related stressors, which may explain why
this group responds more strongly to chemical exposure," explained Dr.
Ya-Qian Xu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, the first
author of the study.
Li added: "We suspect that men may be at higher risk
because the aging markers we analyzed are heavily influenced by lifestyle
factors such as smoking, which can compound the damaging effects of these
pollutants."
Policy responses are beginning to shift. France has recently
banned PFAS in clothing and cosmetics, and the European Union is considering
similar restrictions for certain uses.
"Meanwhile, to reduce risk, individuals can try to
limit their consumption of packaged foods and avoid microwaving fast-food
containers. Looking ahead, we are actively modeling how PFAS interacts with
other common pollutants, as we need to understand the cumulative health risks
of these chemical mixtures," said Li.
Journal Reference:
- Ya-Qian
Xu, Chongyu Ding, Hui Zhang, Yulu Gong, Darong Hao, Xuetong Zhao, Kai Li,
Xiangwei Li. Emerging PFAS contaminants PFNA and PFSA amplify
epigenetic aging: sex- and age-stratified risks in an aging population. Frontiers
in Aging, 2026; 6 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2025.1722675
