Home · Science · Oct 7 archive

Study Links Prenatal PFAS Exposure to Higher Teen Blood Pressure

10:09 AM ETConfirmed

Science Desk

In Short: Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with higher blood pressure in children, especially during adolescence.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with higher blood pressure in children, especially during adolescence.

PFAS, commonly known as 'forever chemicals,' do not break down easily and can accumulate in the environment and the human body over time.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed blood samples from mothers after delivery and compared them with their children's blood pressure levels during childhood and adolescence.

Lead author Zeyu Li, an M.S.P.H. student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, noted, "Our study shows that prenatal PFAS exposure is associated with higher blood pressure later in childhood, especially during adolescence."

The findings suggest that these chemicals can have long-lasting and potentially harmful effects that may only become apparent years after birth.

Among children whose mothers had higher concentrations of PFAS in their blood samples, the analysis found higher blood pressure levels.

Senior author Mingyu Zhang, Ph.D., M.H.S., FAHA, an assistant professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, emphasized the need for stronger environmental protections.

"Our results reinforce the need for stronger environmental protections," Zhang said.

Justin Zachariah, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, chair of the Association’s 2024 Scientific Statement Environmental Exposures and Pediatric Cardiology scientific statement, noted that these chemicals can interfere with hormones and disrupt usual adolescent development.

"We must remember that these chemicals last in our bodies for years, suggesting that perhaps prenatal exposure may have occurred before conception, and these chemicals may cause changes that can carry forward for generations," Zachariah said.

The study also found that the association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and elevated blood pressure was more pronounced among boys and children born to non-Hispanic Black mothers.

"If race is indicating socioeconomic disadvantage, shelf-stable processed, packaged foods are more likely to have PFAS exposure than well-rinsed fresh foods," Zachariah added.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is associated with higher blood pressure in children, especially during adolescence.
• PFAS, commonly known as 'forever chemicals,' do not break down easily and can accumulate in the environment and the human body over time.
• The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed blood samples from mothers after delivery and compared them with their children's blood pressure levels during childhood and adolescence.
• The findings suggest that these chemicals can have long-lasting and potentially harmful effects that may only become apparent years after birth.
• Among children whose mothers had higher concentrations of PFAS in their blood samples, the analysis found higher blood pressure levels.
• Senior author Mingyu Zhang, Ph.D., M.H.S., FAHA, an assistant professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, emphasized the need for stronger environmental protections.
• "Our results reinforce the need for stronger environmental protections," Zhang said.
• Justin Zachariah, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, chair of the Association’s 2024 Scientific Statement Environmental Exposures and Pediatric Cardiology scientific statement, noted that these chemicals can interfere with hormones and disrupt usual adolescent development.
• "We must remember that these chemicals last in our bodies for years, suggesting that perhaps prenatal exposure may have occurred before conception, and these chemicals may cause changes that can carry forward for generations," Zachariah said.
• The study also found that the association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and elevated blood pressure was more pronounced among boys and children born to non-Hispanic Black mothers.
• "If race is indicating socioeconomic disadvantage, shelf-stable processed, packaged foods are more likely to have PFAS exposure than well-rinsed fresh foods," Zachariah added.

What's still developing

• In a study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers found soaking in hot water for 30 minutes can trigger dramatic changes in the blood vessels beneath your skin, in some respects exceeding the effects produced by moderate exercise.
• "However, recent global estimates indicate that approximately 31 percent of adults worldwide do not meet physical activity guidelines, supporting the need to explore adjunct or alternative interventions for individuals who may struggle with regular exercise participation."
• "These findings suggest that hot water immersion may act as an 'exercise-like' vascular stimulus, but evidence in older individuals with risk factors for cardiovascular disease who are unable to engage in conventional exercise is lacking," the researchers note.
• The participants had their heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and core body temperature monitored during the tests, and researchers also assessed tiny blood vessels in the participants' skin, using a non-invasive technique called optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• Results showed that, compared to the exercise intervention, the hot water immersion produced significantly larger increases in blood vessel diameter, blood flow, and blood velocity, as well as the density of microvessels with detectable blood flow.
• An indication of this can be seen in an OCT-derived image from participants' forearms, which visibly shows increased blood flow activity in the microvascular network after hot water immersion.
• "Collectively, these findings suggest that the larger microvascular responses observed after hot water immersion likely reflect the combined effects of direct local skin heating and greater systemic thermal strain imposed by passive heating."
• The researchers say that hot water immersion promotes the widening of blood vessels, a process called vasodilation, which facilitates heat dissipation by redistributing blood flow to the skin.
• The hot water immersion even lowered people's blood pressure more than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling.
• "Exercise training is a well-established stimulus for improving vascular health, in part by enhancing endothelial function, arterial compliance, and microvascular responsiveness," researchers explain in a new paper, led by first author and exercise physiologist Kristanti Wigati from the University of Western Australia.
• Previous research in young healthy adults has shown that repeated hot water immersion can improve blood vessel function, reduce arterial stiffness, and help blood vessels widen through nitric oxide.
• "This may be particularly relevant for clinical populations who are unable to engage in regular exercise, suggesting that hot water immersion could serve as a complementary or alternative strategy to induce beneficial vascular stimuli."

Sources

• ScienceAlertlink
• www.heart.orglink
• Fxstreetlink
• Newslink
• Profitlink
• Screenanarchylink
• Androidauthoritylink
• Medscapelink
• AFPlink
• Scitechdailylink
• Laistlink
• Christiantodaylink
• Inewslink
• Wyomingnewsnowlink
• WarpBeat — background on Scientists Might Have Found a New Cause of High Blood Pressure, And a Way to Treat It link
• WarpBeat — background on High Blood Pressure Linked to Faster Osteoarthritis Progression link