(10-03-13) Teflon and related chemicals linked to arthritis

by David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Exposure to two industrial chemicals, including a common
ingredient in Teflon, significantly increases women's risk of developing
arthritis, according to a study conducted by researchers from Yale University,
Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital and published in the
journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The two chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, belong to the family known as perfluorinated
chemicals (PFCs).

"We found that PFOA and PFOS exposures are associated with higher prevalence
of osteoarthritis, particularly in women, a group that is disproportionately
impacted by this chronic disease," researcher Sarah Uhl said.

PFCs are used in more than 200 consumer products and industrial processes. In
addition to nonstick coatings, they can be found in stain-and water-resistant
fabrics and carpets, greaseproof paper food containers (like microwave popcorn
bags), and even cosmetics. Because they tend to accumulate in the tissues of
animals, including humans, and resist being broken down by biological
processes, they are classified as persistent organic pollutants and are
considered a major environmental and health concern.

Despite efforts to scale back on the use of PFCs, the chemicals' persistence
means that people will continue to be exposed to them for a long time, Uhl
said.

"Once they get into the environment they just don't go away," she said. " In
people, they last years. So even if we were to reduce the use of these
chemicals right away, they're still going to be around and in our bodies for a
long time."

Prior studies have linked PFC exposure to elevated levels of LDL ("bad")
cholesterol, premature menopause and reduced effectiveness of childhood
vaccination (which may imply an effect on the immune system).

PFCs disrupt women's hormones
The new study is the first to examine the connection between arthritis risk
and the two chemicals and a representative sample of the U.S. population. Using
six years of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES, 2003-2008), the researchers found that the 25 percent of women with
the highest exposure to PFOA were approximately twice as likely to suffer from
osteoarthritis as the 25 percent with the lowest exposure, even after adjusting
for potential confounding factors including age, income and race or ethnicity.
The risk was strongest for women between the ages of 20 and 49, and lower for
older women.

Notably, the increase in risk was not seen in men.

Osteoarthritis, known colloquially simply as "arthritis," is a degenerative
joint disease characterized by stiffness, limited mobility and pain. Scientists
remain unsure exactly what causes it, although they believe that inflammation,
oxidative stress and abnormal calcium homeostasis all play a role.

Given that uncertainty, it remains unclear why the PFCs studied would increase
the risk of arthritis in women but not in men. Uhl suspects that it may have to
do with the documented hormone-disrupting effect of PFCs.

"Our hormone systems are incredibly delicate and can be thrown off by tiny
doses of hormone-disrupting chemicals," Uhl told Health Day. "And processes
like inflammation and cartilage repair are associated with our hormones, and
are also associated with osteoarthritis."

Sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130214134034.htm
http://americannewsreport.com

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