PFAS
Forever Chemicals & How to Help Eliminate Them
I have been aware of the class of chemicals known by the acronym PFAS for many years now and have actively researched them and their impact on the body and regularly educate my patients on how to avoid them as much as possible. I recently came across some encouraging new research highlighting how something as simple as oat fibre found in porridge can help our bodies eliminate PFAS. It has long been thought that these chemicals are very hard to excrete from the body so this new finding is promising and will hopefully pave the way for a deeper understanding of how these substances can be dealt with. I love how our bodies have such a marvellous capacity to adapt and heal which also mirrors the inherent ability of nature to keep evolving and be able to adapt to environmental changes and stress.
Understanding PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short, have earned the troubling nickname “forever chemicals” because they resist breakdown in both our environment and our bodies. These synthetic compounds surround us daily: they can be found in non-stick cookware, waterproof jackets, flame retardants used in clothing and furnishings, food packaging as well as contaminated drinking water.
What makes this particularly concerning is that extensive use of PFAS substances has resulted in their ubiquitous presence in human blood. Think of PFAS as uninvited guests who never leave the party, they accumulate in our bodies over time, creating a toxic burden that we continue to carry throughout our lives that can have major impacts on our health.
Recent Canadian research published in Environmental Health has revealed some eye-opening patterns. Four long-chain PFASs (PFOA, PFOS, PFOSA and PFHxS) and two short-chain PFASs (PFBA, PFHxA) were detected in 100% of participants, meaning everyone tested had measurable levels of these chemicals in their blood. While you might feel uneasy about the prospect of PFAS in your body or get angry about the industries who use the chemicals, we have to stay positive and also be motivated to take action in our own lives to minimise exposure. Advocating for change is also important and has helped governments in recent years bring in new requirements and programmes to phase out PFAS use in various industries. It is an unfortunate reality of modern life that we all carry trace amounts of various environmental chemicals. Most governments allow new chemicals into industry with minimal long term safety testing on human health or other environmental impacts. Chemicals are often released under guidelines that are very slack following an essentially ‘innocent until proven guilty’ mindset. Chemicals are often used for decades before research catches up with safety concerns and health implications and PFAS is one such group of substances.
The Negative Impact of PFAS on the Body
PFAS exposures have been associated with multiple adverse human health effects, including links to hormonal disruption, immune system challenges, and increased cancer risk. PFAS are well absorbed if ingested (e.g., through water or food). Once in the bloodstream, they bind strongly to serum proteins (especially albumin) and can circulate widely. They tend to accumulate in organs with high blood flow, especially the liver and kidneys.
The National Academy of Sciences now recommends clinical monitoring for individuals with elevated PFAS levels, recognising these chemicals as a legitimate health concern rather than a theoretical possibility.
When PFAS accumulate in the body they have been shown to create additional stress on the liver, one of our most vital organs. Your liver works tirelessly as your body’s primary detoxification centre, dealing with many different metabolites and toxins day in, day out. The research shows concerning associations between PFAS exposure and liver function markers, specifically finding that PFAS chemicals were associated with higher serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations.
How We Detox PFAS
Unlike many toxins, PFAS are not easily broken down by the liver or excreted in bile. Although PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they break down extremely slowly, the body does have some ways of getting rid of them — just not very efficiently. The main route is through the kidneys into urine, but this pathway is hampered because PFAS are readily reabsorbed in the kidney and bind tightly to proteins in the blood. Small amounts are also lost via bile and faeces, but the recycling of bile acids means much of what enters the gut gets reabsorbed. Traces can leave the body through sweat, hair, nails, and, in women, through menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding — which helps explain why average PFAS levels differ between men and women
A New Natural Solution: the Gut and Fibre Connection
Early animal studies also suggest that certain gut microbes may directly absorb PFAS and carry them out of the body. Recent research has discovered that certain types of dietary fibre, particularly the beta-glucan (β-glucan) found in oats, may help our bodies eliminate PFAS more effectively.
Oat β-glucan is a special type of soluble fibre that has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol by enhancing bile acid elimination. When you consume oat β-glucan, it forms a gel-like substance in your digestive tract which becomes a protective membrane around harmful compounds. This gel traps both bile acids and, importantly, PFAS chemicals, preventing them from being reabsorbed into your bloodstream and instead clearing them out through your stool.
The same Canadian study mentioned above tested this theory by having participants consume oat beta-glucan daily for four weeks. The results were encouraging: only the oat β-glucan group saw significant reductions in the PFAS concentration by around 10 percent. While this still seems somewhat low, it is actually quite good excretion for a chemical known for such a persistent long term burden.
In addition to oats, barley and mushrooms also contain β-glucans. The β-glucan content in certain mushrooms, such as Agaricus bisporus (button, cup, flat, brown mushrooms) and oyster mushrooms has been found to be similar to, or even higher than, the β-glucan found in oats. There is increasing interest in the potential of mushroom beta glucan to have similar effects on PFAS, and initial evidence supports this possibility, though most direct PFAS removal studies to date have focused on oats.
While more research is needed, this represents the first clear evidence that slow and steady reductions can be achieved from simple dietary changes, which will still have a favourable impact on PFAS load over time.
Practical Steps: Supporting Your Body’s Natural Detox
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by this invisible chemical exposure, I encourage you to focus on what you can control. Firstly, we can start to reduce our burden of PFAS by avoiding the sources of it as best we can with our everyday lifestyle choices. Choose stainless steel or cast iron cookware instead of non-stick options, filter your drinking water with a high-quality carbon or reverse osmosis system, limit fast food and packaged meals (PFAS often leach from wrappers), and opt for natural fabrics rather than stain- or water-resistant clothing when possible. Check labels as many companies are actively phasing out or removing PFAS from their manufacturing processes.
Secondly, we can support our body’s innate wisdom to heal and protect itself and promote detoxification pathways in the body. Here are a few gentle, practical approaches that can boost your body’s natural detoxification processes:
Fibre-Rich Foundation: Include at least three servings of oat-based foods daily. Steel-cut oats for breakfast, oat flour in baking, or a simple oat bran smoothie can provide the beneficial beta-glucan.
Gut Health Support: A healthy gut microbiome is your first line of defence against all environmental toxins. Probiotics have been shown to also help in PFAS clearance. Include fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso in your routine. Consider a high-quality probiotic supplement, and remember that diversity in your plant foods feeds the beneficial bacteria that support detoxification. Learn more about probiotics and get my kimchi recipe.
Liver-Loving Foods: As the liver carries a lot of the PFAS burden, it is important to support your liver with foods rich in sulphur compounds like broccoli, garlic, and onions. Bitter greens such as dandelion, arugula and kale help stimulate bile production – your body’s natural way of eliminating fat-soluble toxins like PFAS.
Hydration and Movement: Pure, filtered water helps your kidneys eliminate toxins, while gentle movement supports lymphatic circulation which is also an important pathway of detoxification. Even a daily walk in nature provides both physical detox support and stress relief – and stress reduction is also crucial since chronic stress impairs your body’s detoxification capacity.
Advocating for Change – Vote with your Dollar!
While personal action matters deeply, it is important to acknowledge that individual solutions can only go so far with ubiquitous environmental contaminants. This isn’t about striving for a perfect lifestyle or living in fear – it’s about making informed choices while advocating for broader changes. Support companies that are moving away from PFAS in their products and consider supporting policies that regulate these chemicals at their source.
Most importantly, remember that your body possesses remarkable resilience and healing capacity. Dietary fibres may enhance elimination of PFAS as they do bile acids, but this is just one tool in your body’s sophisticated detoxification toolkit. When we support our natural systems with good nutrition, adequate sleep, stress management, and mindful movement, we create the conditions for optimal health regardless of environmental challenges.
Incorporate some new healthy habits by starting with one small change – perhaps switching your regular breakfast to steel-cut oats with berries. I recently shared my overnight oats recipe, which I am happy to now know can help with PFAS removal. A simple serve of porridge might become the new Ultimate Detox Overnight Oats. This nutrient-packed recipe combines oat beta-glucan with gut-supporting ingredients like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and probiotics – turning your morning meal into a gentle, natural detox powerhouse. Plus, it takes just 5 minutes to prepare the night before!
Get the Full Recipe Here.
When in doubt, we can always return to the simple wisdom of whole, unprocessed foods that have nourished humans for generations. In a world of forever chemicals, perhaps our forever solution lies in the timeless practice of feeding our bodies as nature intended and remembering to have a deep respect and trust in their remarkable capacity to heal.
