For years, regulators focused on two “forever chemicals” above all others; however, a new study has found that their replacements may be just as concerning.
The research, published in Frontiers in Aging, suggests that specific environmental chemicals may influence how quickly the body ages at the molecular level—especially during midlife, a period that may represent a critical window of susceptibility.
Two lesser-studied types of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—not the more heavily regulated legacy PFAS compounds that have dominated policy debates for decades—were associated with accelerated epigenetic aging.
What the Study Found
The study analyzed data from 326 U.S. adults using exposure data from 1999 to 2000.
Researchers analyzed blood levels of multiple PFAS compounds in people aged 50 and older, estimating biological age using 12 DNA-based aging measures and accounting for age, sex, smoking history, and inflammation markers.
Two compounds showed significant associations with epigenetic aging. Perfluorononanoic acid was linked to several mortality-related aging clocks and measures reflecting a faster pace of aging. Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid was associated with one lifespan-predictive clock. Legacy PFAS compounds—including the more widely studied perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid—showed no significant associations.
Xiangwei Li, a professor of epidemiology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, cautioned against reading that as good news for legacy compounds.
“I interpret this not as evidence that legacy PFAS are safe, but rather that regulatory and monitoring frameworks should look beyond only the most historically studied compounds,” he said.
Although the findings cannot establish causation, they add to the growing evidence that some PFAS compounds may influence biological aging.
Why Middle-Aged Men May Be Most Vulnerable
Before considering PFAS levels, the study found that biological aging markers already differed across age and sex groups.
Men showed faster biological aging on several mortality- and pace-of-aging measures, and adults aged 50 to 64 showed greater acceleration than those 65 and older. When PFAS exposure was factored in, the strongest associations were again seen in men aged 50 to 64.
“Similar exposure levels do not necessarily mean similar biological responses,” Li told The Epoch Times.
He said that the PFAS may have different biological effects depending on factors such as age and sex.
Midlife, he said, is often a transitional period in which cardiometabolic and inflammatory processes begin to shift. Although chronic low-grade inflammation generally increases with age, research suggests that molecular aging may occur in phases, including notable biological transitions at about the mid-40s and again near age 60. Testosterone levels begin to decline in midlife, which is associated with increased inflammation and belly fat.
“In men, age-related hormonal and body-composition changes may influence how toxicants are processed or how aging-related pathways respond to environmental stressors,” Li said.
Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), who was not involved in the study, said the research underscores the need to study PFAS beyond legacy compounds and to examine how chemical mixtures and lifestyle factors may interact to influence aging.
The Broader Picture–PFAS and Health
PFAS are pervasive in the environment. They have been found in people and animals across the globe, and they have been detected in the blood of an estimated 97 percent of Americans.
Research has linked exposure to elevated cholesterol through effects on liver fat metabolism. Higher exposure during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight, preterm birth, and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure. The clearest cancer associations are with kidney and testicular cancer.
Because PFAS tend to affect the same biological systems—particularly the immune system and liver—combined exposures may compound harm.
“Environmental stressors can also act together with PFAS to compound the harmful effects,” Stoiber told The Epoch Times, pointing to air pollution and diet as potential amplifiers.
Dr. Michael Fossel, author of “Reversal: Science, Medicine, and a Future Beyond Aging,” told The Epoch Times that environmental exposures can damage or kill cells, increasing cell division and telomere shortening—a process in which the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes become shorter each time a cell divides, widely considered a marker of cellular aging—both of which drive the epigenetic changes associated with aging.
Over time, these changes may impair the body’s ability to repair DNA and maintain healthy cells, contributing to age-related disease.
What You Can Do
Although PFAS are widespread and persistent, reducing exposure where possible may still help. Exposure reduction is currently the most practical option available because no therapies have been proven to slow or reverse biological aging in humans.
Drinking water is a useful starting point—carbon-based or reverse osmosis filters can reduce PFAS levels, and the EWG maintains a filter guide searchable by ZIP code. Following local drinking water advisories is another important step.
Other steps that may help reduce exposure include cooking at home with fresh, whole foods and limiting take-out and packaged foods, which often come in grease-resistant packaging. Avoiding products labeled “stain-resistant” or “wrinkle-resistant” and choosing textiles and home goods that do not contain PFAS can also help.
Some people face higher exposure risks.
“People with occupational exposures often have the highest levels of PFAS in their blood,” Stoiber said. “This includes those working in production facilities, related industries, or firefighters.”
She also said that people living near production facilities also tend to have higher levels of PFAS. EWG has created a public map tracking suspected PFAS discharge sites nationwide.
Lifestyle factors may also play a role. In one study, people living near more green space had epigenetic markers consistent with being roughly 2.5 years biologically younger, on average, than those in less green areas. Other research has linked greener neighborhoods, regular physical activity, and diets rich in plant-based foods to longer telomere length.
Many exposures occur at systemic levels, through water infrastructure, environmental contamination, and industrial sources, Li said, and meaningful risk reduction goes beyond individual action and requires policy and regulatory oversight as well.