PFAS Exposure Symptoms

Research has shown that as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) build up in your system over time, these chemicals can start to impact your health in potentially serious ways.

“There’s a pretty good consensus that’s developed that there are several health conditions that over and over again have been associated with higher levels of PFAS exposure,” Scott Bartell, an environmental health researcher at UC Irvine, told Drugwatch. Bartell has studied PFAS for nearly 20 years, exploring how wide-reaching these chemicals and their impacts are.

How much PFAS you have in your body may play a role in the health conditions that you experience. Impacting factors include the amount of chemicals you are exposed to and how long you were exposed to them.

PFAS contamination can be particularly severe near an airport, military base or fire station due to aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). This firefighting foam has been used to combat fires involving flammable liquids, such as gasoline.

For decades, the foam included PFAS, which seeped into soil and groundwater in surrounding areas after use.

“It was often used regularly in drills to practice. They would sometimes fill entire aircraft hangars with this stuff,” Bartell said. “They’d fill these spaces with the foams and then, when their drills were done, they’d hose everything down.”

Symptoms of PFAS exposure can include cancer, immune system issues and more. PFAS may exist in your body for a long time after your first exposure. A 2018 study found that some types of PFAS may continue to exist in your body for years.

Kidney and Testicular Cancer

PFAS has been associated with a higher risk of kidney and testicular cancer.

The specific chemical linked to these cancers is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). It was used in non-stick cookware, carpets and other consumer products for decades thanks to its stain and grease resistance.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies PFOA as “carcinogenic to humans.”

According to the American Cancer Society, low levels of PFOA can be found in food, drinking water and even household dust. Higher levels in drinking water may occur near industrial plants that have utilized these chemicals.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is another common type of PFAS. While the International Agency for Research on Cancer only classifies it as “possibly carcinogenic” to humans, it has been tied to cancer concerns.

A 2023 study found that higher levels of PFOS in the blood of Air Force servicemen were associated with testicular cancer.

While these chemicals have mostly been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, some studies have expanded the potential list of PFAS cancer risks.

Immune System Effects

In addition to cancer concerns, PFAS exposure has been connected to immune system disruptions. This can be of particular concern for pregnant women and unborn babies.

“[Infants exposed in utero] seem to have lingering immune developmental issues, including reduced immune response to vaccines for years following those exposures,” Bartell said.

Your immune system is an integral part of your body. It defends you from germs and infections, in part by producing antibodies that can bind to and eliminate foreign substances like viruses.

PFAS exposure may hinder your body’s ability to produce antibodies. It has also been reported to impact the effectiveness of vaccinations for kids, teens and adults.

But according to Jamie DeWitt, a professor at Oregon State University who has studied PFAS since 2005, the potential health concerns stemming from immune issues go beyond vaccines.

“We know from many different studies of people who are mildly to moderately immune suppressed that they will be at increased risk for not only communicable diseases, but increased risk for other diseases … such as different types of cancers,” she told Drugwatch.

Other Health Issues

While cancer and immune suppression are among the main concerns for PFAS exposure, other health issues have been tied to these chemicals.

PFAS have also been linked to increased cholesterol. High cholesterol can cause plaque to accumulate in your arteries. This can cause serious health problems like coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.

PFAS chemicals may also interfere with your body’s natural hormones. You may see issues like:

If you live in the U.S., there is a good chance that you have been exposed to PFAS. Following decades of widespread use in various consumer products, PFAS can be found across the country.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that almost everyone in the U.S. has PFAS in their blood.

“We’re all exposed,” Bartell said. “When we go and test people, we can find PFAS in everybody’s body. There’s nobody that is PFAS-free.”

Contamination can often occur via drinking water. Areas around airports and military bases may be more heavily impacted.

The Environmental Working Group provides a nationwide PFAS exposure map that can help you learn more about contamination levels in your area. This map can help you determine if PFAS levels in the water where you live are above or below the proposed limits.

The EPA is planning to phase in mandates to limit the most well-known types of PFAS to no more than four parts per trillion in drinking water. Public water systems likely have until 2031 to reduce the PFAS levels of their water if that limit is exceeded.

For people who live in areas with heavily contaminated drinking water, Bartell says that taking action can make a real difference. This can include things like switching to bottled water and limiting exposure.

If you have developed a condition tied to PFAS exposure, like kidney cancer or testicular cancer, take steps to protect yourself:

• Document your symptoms
• Compile records of any potential PFAS exposure you’ve had
• Request bloodwork to determine how much PFAS is in your blood
• Speak to a doctor about how PFAS may have played a role in your condition
• Get treatment for any relevant conditions and save your medical records

Thousands of PFAS lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of these chemicals over claims that they are tied to numerous health conditions. These include water contamination lawsuits and AFFF lawsuits for individuals directly impacted by firefighting foam.

Some firefighters are also filing turnout gear lawsuits over claims that the equipment they wear to fight fires contains harmful chemicals.

You might be eligible to file a lawsuit if you were impacted. If your symptoms align with PFAS-related health issues, a legal expert can help you explore your options.