Can we detox our bodies from pollutants like ‘forever chemicals’?


Eva Stebel, water researcher, pours a water sample into a smaller glass container for experimentation as part of drinking water and PFAS research at the US Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response on February 16, 2023, in Cincinnati.

Cadmium and pesticides, substances recognized as hazardous to human health, have recently prompted public health warnings that the government has overlooked. Amid rising concerns, a question arises: Are there ways to detox our bodies from these pollutants?

For most doctors and toxicologists interviewed for this article, one answer stood out: As things stand, it is impossible to escape these substances completely. The main reason is the repeated and constant exposure to these omnipresent environmental pollutants. This is especially true for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), synthetic chemicals commonly known as “forever chemicals.”

“The three main ways we are exposed to PFAS are through food, air and skin contact, so even someone who eats organic food, avoids ultra-processed products and plastic packaging will still be exposed,” explained Xavier Coumoul, professor of biochemistry and toxicology at Paris Cité University and head of the MetaTox team at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM). “That’s why the only thing we can do is limit exposure as much as possible, and inform the public about where these exposures occur.”

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