Eating more fiber might help flush out cancer-causing ‘forever chemicals,’ a study suggests.
Researchers in Boston compared men who took a fiber supplement three times a day to those who had a rice-based supplement for four weeks.
Blood tests revealed those who took beta-glucan fiber, found in mushrooms and oats, before every meal for four weeks had an eight percent reduction in ‘forever chemicals.’
While mountains of research has demonstrated the deadly effects of forever chemicals on the body, the new study is one of the first to offer a scientifically proven way to get rid of the toxins, which were thought to live in the body forever.
The researchers believe dietary fiber forms a gel that stips cells lining the gut from absorbing PFAS.
According to a study, increasing fiber intake may aid in the removal of “forever chemicals” that cause cancer.
Boston researchers compared men who took a rice-based supplement for four weeks to those who took a fiber supplement three times a day.
According to blood tests, after taking beta-glucan fiber, which is present in oats and mushrooms, before each meal for four weeks, the amount of “forever chemicals” decreased by 8%. “…
These harmful chemicals, also referred to as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), do not decompose spontaneously in the environment.
Instead, they accumulate in vital organs and contaminate food through plastic containers and nonstick cookware, raising the risk of infertility, organ failure, and some types of cancer.
The researchers think that fiber aids in the removal of extra bile from the digestive system, which PFAS then clings to in order to enter the bloodstream.
The new study is among the first to provide a scientifically validated method of eliminating the toxins, which were previously believed to remain in the body indefinitely, even though countless studies have shown the deadly effects of forever chemicals on the body.
However, this comes at a time when nine out of ten Americans are undernourished, increasing their risk of developing other diseases like colon cancer.
‘Despite the growing concerns about the toxicity of PFAS, there are limited specific interventions to reduce PFAS levels in the body,’ the Boston University researchers wrote. “…
The study examined 72 adult men with detectable blood levels of PFAS between the ages of 18 and 65. It was published in the journal Environmental Health in March.
Of these, forty-two took a one-gram supplement of oat beta-glucan, a naturally occurring fiber that is present in oats, mushrooms, and seeds, three times a day, approximately ten minutes prior to meals.
A control supplement made of rice was taken by the other thirty participants.
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Each participant had blood samples taken by researchers both before and after the four-week trial. Each test searched for 17 different types of PFAS.
Of the 17 PFAS forms, 11 were present in the blood of 70% of participants at baseline, and five were present in all participants.
Perfluorooctanoate acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), two of the most harmful types of PFAS, increased by 8% in men who took the fiber supplement, according to the study.
Non-stick cookware, firefighting foam, and stain repellents all contain synthetic chemicals called PFOA and PFOS that give them water and stain resistance.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), PFOA is a Group 1 carcinogen, which means it can cause cancer in animals. According to the Group 2 carcinogen classification, PFOS may cause cancer in animals.
It is also believed that both substances are endocrine-disrupting, which means that they mimic hormones in the body and disrupt the synthesis of and reaction to natural hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.
This raises the chance of getting hormone-sensitive cancers, such as ovarian and breast cancer.
According to the researchers, dietary fiber creates a gel that prevents PFAS absorption by the gut’s lining cells. This is because bile acids, which aid in the breakdown of fats, are prevented from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream by that gel.
Rather, that extra bile is eliminated through feces.
Since PFAS are believed to cling to bile and pass through the digestive tract, fiber may aid in eliminating these chemicals from the body before they have a chance to persist and harm the body in the long run.
More research is required to ascertain whether other types of fiber have a comparable effect, as the researchers warned that not all fiber eliminates PFAS.
Because smoother stools don’t stay in the colon as long, there is less chance that dangerous substances will cause inflammation and unchecked cell growth. The risk of colon cancer is decreased as a result.
Ninety percent of Americans, however, do not consume the 22–34 grams of fiber that are advised daily.
A four-week experiment was insufficient to adequately evaluate the relationship because PFAS can remain in the body for two to seven years, which was the primary limitation of the new study.
The group also pointed out that increasing fiber intake might be required to eventually lower PFAS levels.
