PFAS: What Are They and How Do They Impact Your Health?

Everyone wants to preserve their health, and avoiding toxic substances should be priority number one.

PFAS are sneaky little substances that accumulate in the body primarily through drinking contaminated water, and the health risks of these substances are nothing to sneeze at.

Getting rid of PFAS can be difficult, but multi-stage reverse osmosis filters are one of the most effective ways of keeping these stubborn substances at bay.

Keep reading to get the full rundown on what PFAS are, how they can harm your health, and preventative steps you can take to create a PFAS-free home.

ESSENTIAL TAKEAWAYS

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are a group of human-made chemicals that are used for their resistance to other substances. This makes them both extremely durable and environmentally toxic, especially in water.

There are thousands of PFAS, many of which are hidden or hard to isolate for long-term study.

Four main PFAS are found in our water supply: PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA.

Nicknamed “forever chemicals,” once introduced to the body, they are hard to get rid of and can contribute to long-term health issues.

The good news is that multi-stage carbon reverse osmosis filters eliminate the vast majority of dangerous PFAS.

What Exactly Are PFAS?

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) were introduced in the 1940s.

Their chemical properties, such as water and stain resistance, play a critical role in many of the non-stick products we use on a daily basis.

Recent studies demonstrate that exposure to PFAS can be harmful to our health, particularly for children and pregnant or lactating women.

Unfortunately, their extreme durability has earned PFAS the nickname of “forever chemicals” because they’re so darn hard to remove from water.

How PFAS Enter Your Drinking Water

Unfortunately, in the past we weren’t aware of the potential danger posed by PFAS.

The use and disposal of products containing these chemicals has caused PFAS to remain present in our drinking water today.

Although the FDA has taken steps to reduce exposure to PFAS, they still make it into our drinking water at harmful levels.

In a recent study, the CDC found the four following PFAS in the blood serum of nearly all test subjects.

1. PFOS

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) is best known for its use in non-stick coatings in cooking pots and pans.

PFOS is particularly dangerous in terms of drinking water as it is highly soluble, allowing it to move quickly through the water supply.

Although PFOA and other forms of PFOS are no longer produced in the US, these products are still made elsewhere in the world.

This gives PFOS the chance to keep sneaking back into the water supply!

2. PFOA

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) is an extremely durable chemical used to make products like Teflon.

In 2019, PFOA was banned from production in 180 countries because it’s so nasty!

TheInternational Agency for Research on Cancer even acknowledged the carcinogenic nature of PFOA.

The bottom line isit’s best to avoid anything that might have this substance, including your water supply.

3. PFHxS

Perfluorohexane Sulfonate(PFHxS) is found in a variety of household products, including food packaging and stain-resistant fabrics.

Nationwide guidance on specific PFAS like PFHxS is hard to find, but some state and local governments publish reports.

For example, Minnesota detected levels of PFHxS at 10x the recommended safety levels.

Yikes!

4. PFNA

Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) is a remarkably durable PFAS found in pipes, valves, and tanks that are used to handle volatile and potentially damaging chemicals.

Since 1975, it’s estimated that 60% of all the PFNA ever produced has made it’s way into the water supply.

Widespread Exposure to PFAS In Modern Life

PFAS are found in a shocking number of home products, including:

Non-stick cookware
Tapes
Water resistant coatings
Stain repellents
Glues
Paints
Food packaging
Cleaning sprays
Personal care (makeup, cosmetics, lotions)

It’s no surprise that virtually every person on earth has some level of PFAS in their system.

A CDC exposure study which ran from 1999 to 2018 found four PFAS (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA) in the blood serum of nearly everyone tested in the United States.

Although using products containing PFAS can introduce these chemicals into our bodies, drinking water is the most common route through which we consume these substances.

DID YOU KNOW?

Boiling water actually makes PFAS more durable! A high-quality filter is the only way to effectively reduce or eliminate PFAS from your drinking water.

How PFAS Can Harm Your Health

Once PFAS are in your system, these “forever chemicals” can build up to dangerous levels.

Drinking water with PFAS above a certain threshold is more likely to cause health issues.

Health problems from PFAS exposure can lead to chronic health problems.

It’s scary stuff, but fortunately you can take preventative measures to reduce the risk.

The following are some of the possible health effects of high levels of PFAS accumulation:

Higher cholesterol levels
Changes in liver enzymes (affects healthy liver functioning)
Decrease in healthy vaccine response, particularly in children
Increased risk of cancer, particularly kidney, prostate, ovarian and thyroid cancer
Childhood leukemia
Reproductive/fertility issues, particularly among pregnant women

Since the effects of PFAS exposure build up over time, it’s hard to know how much is built up in the body.

Fortunately, you can get a blood test to see what your PFAS levels are.

At the same time, you can protect yourself from PFAS by drinking filtered water.

PFAS can be found in everything from food packaging to non-stick cookware.

Woman checking food labelling for PFAS

What Should I Do If PFAS Are In My Water?

First of all, if you can avoid drinking water with PFAS (this means most tap water), don’t drink it!

But tap water isn’t the only dangerous water source…

Since PFAS are used in all types of manufacturing, they’ve made their way into bottled water as well.

On top of all of this, boiling water does nothing to reduce PFAS.

Your best bet to avoid these pesky chemicals is to only drink water from a high quality reverse osmosis water filter.

Can I Use a Filter to Get Rid of PFAS in Drinking Water?

Thankfully, studies show that reverse osmosis (RO) water filters are extremely effective at reducing and removing PFAS.

In fact, RO have been shown to remove up to 94% of PFAS.

Even activated carbon filters have been shown to remove 73% of PFAS.

<strong>When was the last time you tested your tap water?</strong>

With all the potentially harmful toxins hiding in our local water systems, it's critical to test your water at least once a year. Enter your zip code into the box below to get your neighborhood's most current test results.

Get PFAS Out of Your Water and Out of Your Life!

PFAS are in basically every source of public water, including water bottles, so it’s time to take the necessary steps to cut them out of your life.

The long term health consequences of high PFAS levels in your body, including liver damage, fertility issues, and cancer, are nothing to take lightly.

So stop the accumulation of PFAS in your body by purifying your water!

If you don’t have a high quality reverse osmosis filter, it may be time to upgrade.

Cloud Water Filters remove up to 99% of toxins, including pesky PFAS, and are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation and the American National Standards Institute (NSF/ANSI).

For the sake of your health, and the health of your family,kick PFAS out of your water once and for all!

Click here to learn more.