CDC recommends blood test for PFAS

March 21, 2024

What your BLOOD tells you about your toxic exposure

For once, the feds make a smart move!

I never thought I’d see the day…

But I finally agree with something with the CDC has done. 

The federal agency recently released a new guidance for clinicians… and it’s recommending blood tests for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. 

Those are a group of thousands of “forever chemicals” used in the manufacture of clothing and other textiles… non-stick cookware… home goods… and even beauty products (like shampoo).

They’re known for CONTAMINATING much of the groundwater supply in this country…

Which means the food grown here could be TAINTED as well. 

The problem has become so WIDESPREAD… these chemicals are showing up in our bloodstreams!

And, true to their name, they’re NOTORIOUSLY tough to get rid of. 

They seem to stick around INDEFINITELY in the environment – and in your body, they can take 8 YEARS or more to be eliminated.

And PFAS exposure has been linked to such health issues as kidney and testicular cancer… liver issues… elevated cholesterol… immune dysfunction… and more.

Thing is, you won’t know HOW MUCH of a toxic load you’re bearing… unless you get tested. 

Now, the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is quick to point out that regardless of what the lab work says… it’s not a tried-and-true PREDICTION of future health problems. (Although I’d consider it a pretty big red flag.)

And the blood test results don’t necessarily DICTATE a treatment plan. 

But that’s largely because there AREN’T ANY treatments currently approved for reducing PFAS content in the bloodstream!

The best you can do? ELIMINATE these forever chemicals at the source. 

That means TESTING and TREATING your tap water… including installing a filter that’s certified to reduce PFAS… 

Eating organic foods whenever possible… while AVOIDING fast food and microwave popcorn…

And SWITCHING to PFAS-free products.

But don’t stop there. 

Since ALL of us have surely been exposed to PFAS to some degree… it may be a good idea to support your body’s natural detoxification processes. 

I don’t mean a “detox diet”… a “cleanse”… or any other FADS you may have heard about on the internet. 

But supporting a healthy metabolism with a nourishing diet… and foods and nutrients that help support your innate “filtration” systems (namely, via the kidneys and liver)… may go a long way in protecting you against the effects of PFAS.

Our bodies were designed to SWEEP AWAY the bad stuff…

But if your blood levels of PFAS are very high… and it looks like you may be dealing with a case of EXTREME exposure…

There’s something else you can do. 

It might sound a little CRAZY… but by all reports, it WORKS. 

Donate blood. 

That’s right – a 2022 study showed that rolling up your sleeve just four times a year (or roughly every 12 weeks) could SIGNIFICANTLY reduce your PFAS load in your bloodstream. 

The study looked at firefighters in Australia… who are in the crosshairs for PFAS contamination because of the content of firefighting foam they’re CONSTANTLY exposed to. 

Study subjects who did NOTHING over the course of a year saw NO decrease in the levels of PFAS in their bloodstreams. 

Those who donated blood regularly saw their PFAS blood levels DIP by 10%. 

But even better, those who donated blood plasma witnessed PFAS blood levels plummet EVEN MORE… by as much as 30%!

Now, donating blood (or plasma) isn’t safe for everybody to do… especially if you’re low in iron or are diagnosed with any kind of blood disease (including blood cancers).

So, of course check with your doc first. 

But if he gives you the green light… you’re open to it… and the blood center doesn’t disqualify you for some other reason…

Feel free to go for it.

In pursuit of the truth,

Dr. Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.

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