7 Ways to Reduce Exposure to PFAS

Chances are you’ve heard about “forever chemicals” — also known as PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These insidious substances are found in everything from drinking water to clothing. And they pose serious risks for our health.

People living in areas with high levels of PFAS in drinking water have shown increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, heart attack, Alzheimer’s disease, and various forms of cancer. Research has also shown probable links between PFOA (a kind of PFAS) exposure and high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and thyroid disease.

At a molecular level, PFAS are sturdy chains of linked fluorine and carbon atoms of varying lengths. Their sturdiness is what makes them so useful for industrial purposes — and so dangerous for human health.

“They’re built to last,” explains rheumatologist and immune-disease specialist Aly Cohen, MD, author of Non-Toxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World and the upcoming book DETOXIFY: The Everyday Toxins Harming Your Immune System and How to Defend Against Them. “That’s why they’re often on nonstick pans or rainproof clothing that take a lot of beating. They’re designed to last forever, but that’s a problem when they get inside of us.

“They’re built to last. That’s why they’re often on nonstick pans or rainproof clothing that take a lot of beating. They’re designed to last forever, but that’s a problem when they get inside of us.”

“They’re not like some of the other synthetic compounds like BPA, which breaks down in six to eight hours so you can reduce your levels quite rapidly. PFAS live in the environment and our bodies for a very long time without breaking down.”

Avoiding PFAS altogether is nearly impossible: They’re present in much of our drinking water and in countless everyday products, including food packaging, clothing, furniture, adhesives, nonstick cookware, and personal-care products and cosmetics. They are also literally in the air, especially near industrial areas, mining operations, military sites, and airports.

That’s the bad news. The better news is that it is possible to reduce our exposure to PFAS — and it’s not that difficult to do.

How to Limit the Impact of PFAS

Reducing your overall load of PFAS involves minimizing exposure and supporting your body’s detoxification systems. (See “How to Support Your Body’s Natural Detox Organs” to learn how to give your detoxification system a helping hand.) “We should do everything we can to decrease [our load], and it turns out there are effective strategies to do so,” says Joe Pizzorno, ND, member and past board chair for the Institute for Functional Medicine and author of The Toxin Solution.

These are some of those strategies.

1) Filter your drinking water.

Using a water filter cuts way back on a key source of PFAS exposure.

“The majority of nonoccupational PFAS exposure is through drinking water,” says Lyn Patrick, ND, medical director at EMEI Global.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), PFAS have been found in the drinking water and groundwater of more than 5,000 U.S. communities. The organization estimates there could be nearly 30,000 industrial polluters releasing PFAS into the environment. (To see results of tap-water testing for your community, enter your ZIP code into the searchable database on the EWG website.)

In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set new limits on PFAS in drinking water in the United States. The proposal targets six PFAS and sets maximum contaminant levels for each. Public water systems are required to begin monitoring the presence of these substances by 2027 and must achieve compliance with the new limits by 2029.​

That’s welcome news, but you can start protecting your drinking water right now. “Every American should filter their tap water,” Patrick says. An expanding array of options have made this easier than ever. These include carbon filters on refrigerator doors or attached to the faucet; countertop filters; undercounter reverse-osmosis filter systems; and whole-home water systems.

“Every American should filter their tap water.”

Water pitchers with carbon-block filters may be the easiest and most cost-effective option. The EWG identifies three models in the $30–$90 range (plus the cost of replacement filters) that were shown to remove between 98 and 100 percent of measurable PFAS.

Cohen recommends reverse-osmosis (RO) filters that can be installed beneath the sink, noting that they continue to grow more affordable. In addition to PFAS, RO filters can remove heavy metals, chlorine, and bacteria, but they do produce a substantial amount of wastewater. ​

Faucet-mounted and under-sink systems with activated-carbon filters are relatively inexpensive and easy to install and do a good job of removing PFAS. (See this step-by-step guide for help finding a filter that’s best for you.)

Whichever method you choose, changing the filter is key. “The more perflourinates you’ve got in your drinking water, the more frequently you have to change the filter media,” notes Patrick.

And though it might be tempting to turn to bottled water, it won’t necessarily contain less PFAS than tap water. According to Patrick, “People assume that bottled water is cleaner, but nothing is further from the truth.” (See “The True Cost of Bottled Water” for more.)

According to Food and Water Watch, nearly 64 percent of bottled water is sourced from municipal tap water, and, once bottled, it is subject to less federal testing and oversight than tap water. And chemicals from plastic bottles are prone to leach into the water, particularly when the bottle gets hot during storage.

Your best protection is to opt for a lab-tested filtering system, be diligent about filter changes, and carry a nontoxic glass or stainless-steel water bottle when you go out.

 

2. Avoid most freshwater fish.

PFAS are also all too common in our food, especially fish and seafood from contaminated water bodies. One EWG study found that eating one serving of U.S. freshwater fish contaminated with median PFAS levels could be equivalent to drinking contaminated water every day for a month.

One EWG study found that eating one serving of U.S. freshwater fish contaminated with median PFAS levels could be equivalent to drinking contaminated water every day for a month.

This doesn’t mean you have to rule out fish altogether. Wild-caught freshwater fish tend to be more contaminated than saltwater species, so you might want to opt for ocean fish. (Check out these “6 Tips to Find Sustainable Seafood.”)

 

3. Be mindful of food packaging.

The FDA has recently announced that grease-proofing materials containing PFAS are no longer being sold for use in food packaging — which is good news for consumers going forward. Still, food packaging has long been a common source of PFAS, because these chemicals are so good at repelling grease and water.

Avoid microwave popcorn at all costs, says Pizzorno: The bags have historically been lined with grease-proofing materials to prevent the oil and butter from soaking through, and the high temperatures in the microwave cause these chemicals to leach into the popcorn.

Avoid microwave popcorn at all costs, says Pizzorno: The bags have historically been lined with grease-proofing materials to prevent the oil and butter from soaking through, and the high temperatures in the microwave cause these chemicals to leach into the popcorn.

A 2019 study examined dietary habits and blood samples from 10,000 people, using data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2003 to 2014. Those who ate microwave popcorn daily for a year had PFAS levels up to 63 percent higher than the average.

The same study found that people who consumed more fast food also had higher levels of PFAS than those who cooked at home. This may be because food wrappers and pizza boxes have also typically been treated with PFAS.

“Manufacturers put PFAS on paper and cardboard containers to prevent them from breaking apart, and the food comes into contact with these things on the surface,” Pizzorno explains.

Cohen recommends protecting all your food, whether it’s takeout or cooked at home, from prolonged contact with plastic. “Many chemicals, whether phthalates, PFAS, BPA, or vinyl chloride, leach from plastics and food wrappers into the food and drinks that you’re trying to heat up or carry. Avoiding any kind of plastics will avoid exposure to those chemicals,” she says.

She recommends transferring food from plastic packaging to glass or stainless-steel containers, especially before heating it. Pizzorno suggests bringing your own glass takeout containers to restaurants for leftovers.

 

4) Avoid nonstick cookware.

​​Nonstick cookware typically contains PFAS to help create a slick, easy-to-clean surface — and another route for PFAS to enter our bodies. When exposed to high temperatures, the PFAS in nonstick cookware break down and release toxic fumes into the air. And as nonstick coatings get scratched over time, PFAS-containing particles can mix with food.

“When you cook food in a Teflon pan, the food doesn’t stick to the pan. Instead, the Teflon sticks to the food,” Pizzorno explains.

“When you cook food in a Teflon pan, the food doesn’t stick to the pan. Instead, the Teflon sticks to the food.”

Stainless-steel cookware is an easy, economical PFAS-free alternative. Cast-iron skillets require a bit more maintenance but offer a naturally nonstick surface when properly seasoned. Ceramic cookware is another durable nontoxic choice. For baking, glass and enamel-coated cookware are excellent options.

If you’re not ready to part with your nonstick cookware, you can reduce PFAS exposure by cooking only at medium and low temperatures, with good ventilation, and using wooden or silicone cooking utensils to avoid scratching the coating.

 

5) Limit the use of treated fabrics.

Clothing and other fabrics that resist water, wrinkles, and stains may be convenient, but they often contain copious amounts of PFAS. When treated fabrics or surfaces are subjected to heat, friction, or washing, the chemicals can leach out, leading to direct contact with skin or contamination of the environment.

A January 2022 report by researchers at Toxic-Free Futures who tested 60 products from 10 retailers revealed that 72 percent of the items marketed as stain- or water-resistant contained PFAS. These included rain jackets, hiking pants, shirts, mattress pads, comforters, tablecloths, and napkins. The products they tested that were not marked stain- or water-resistant contained no PFAS.

Instead of clothing and bedding made with treated fabrics, opt for natural fibers, like cotton, wool, and hemp; they’re less likely to be treated with chemicals of any kind. Wool is also naturally water-repellent. And while you’re at it, skip the sprays that make fabrics stain- and water-resistant.

 

6) Choose personal-care products with simple ingredient lists.

Everyday items such as makeup, lotions, shampoos, and dental floss often contain PFAS due to their water-resistant and film-forming properties, so look for natural products with short, easy-to-parse ingredient lists. Seek out labels that specifically state “PFAS-free,” and avoid products with chemicals like PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or other fluorinated compounds. (Many of the most popular personal-care items contain toxins that can mess with your health. Here are ingredients to avoid — and tips for finding worthy alternatives.)

If you’re wondering about the safety profile of your favorite brand, look up its rating in the EWG’s Skin Deep database.

 

7) Support your gut.

Minimizing exposure to PFAS is essential, but we can also mitigate the damage of the PFAS we inevitably absorb. “The long half-lives of PFAS mean that, while avoidance is important, intervention is required to decrease body load,” Pizzorno says.

We can do this is by supporting our digestive system, a primary route by which the body rids itself of toxins and waste.

Dietary fiber is key here. It helps to bind toxins in the gut and usher them out through stool. One study of 6,482 adults found that those who ate at least 25 grams of daily fiber had lower serum levels of PFAS than their counterparts who ate less fiber. Fiber from fruit appeared to be particularly helpful, Patrick notes: This may be due to its high concentration of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenols. (Many people steer clear of fruit because of its sugar content. Here’s why it’s still good for you.)

Other great sources of soluble fiber include whole grains, beans, vegetables, and flaxseed.

“Fiber is critical to feeding the gut microbiome,” adds Cohen. “The microbes that have been living with us for thousands of years work as soldiers on the front line of defense against environmental chemicals.”

Supporting the gut microbiome with probiotics appears to be another solid strategy for reducing PFAS load. A 2023 study examined the correlation between probiotic and yogurt consumption and PFAS levels in the blood of 9,469 adults. Those who didn’t eat yogurt or take any probiotics had the highest levels of PFAS. Those who took probiotic supplements had the lowest levels, followed by those who didn’t take probiotics but ate yogurt with live, active cultures.

“There’s evidence that certain strains of lactobacillus bind to PFOA and carry it out of the body,” Patrick explains.

In addition to emphasizing fiber and probiotics, Cohen recommends choosing USDA organic foods whenever possible. Federal regulations prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides and chemicals in these products.

A nutrient-dense diet also helps offset the risks from environmental chemicals. “Some chemicals, including PFAS, can cause epigenetic changes,” she explains. “Studies show that eating leafy green vegetables, high-quality fatty acids, and a variety of colorful foods can offset that damage.”

Pizzorno notes that curcumin has been shown in cell cultures to decrease DNA damage, and blueberries were shown in an animal study to decrease PFAS neurotoxicity.

While there’s no way to completely avoid the effects of PFAS, there’s still plenty we can do in our daily lives to minimize their harms. “Pick the changes you can live with that have the highest yield in terms of exposure,” advises Cohen. “Start with your daily habits first — that’s where you get the most impact.”

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