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Newsweek
5 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
These Common Chemicals Could Be Harming Your Liver
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new review has found that exposure to particular chemicals can, when combined, enhance damage to the liver. The researchers of the July 2025 review, published in Toxicological Sciences, found that both alcohol and PFAS chemicals—a group of widely-used compounds—damage the liver in similar ways. This could be "causing fat buildup, inflammation, and oxidative stress," Vasilis Vasiliou, one of the authors of the review, and chair and professor of environmental health sciences at Yale School of Public Health, told Newsweek. While alcohol is a well-established cause of liver disease, PFAS chemicals may "act as a 'second hit,' especially in people who already drink alcohol or have other liver risk factors," he added. PFAS chemicals, also known as "forever chemicals" or Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 1 carcinogen—with studies since finding the chemicals can cause a wide range of effects on public health. These chemicals can be found across various industries and consumer products, from nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing and stain-resistant furniture, to food packaging and even smartwatch wristbands. They can also be found in drinking water sources across the country. According to the review's researchers, detectable levels of PFAS chemicals have been found in over 98 percent of the human population. Meanwhile, more than half of all Americans drink alcohol—with 17 percent binge drinking, meaning, for women, they have four or more drinks on one occasion, while for men, they have five or more drinks, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Per the CDC's data, 6 percent also drink heavily, meaning, for women, they have eight or more drinks in a week and for men, they have 15 or more drinks. According to the review's researchers, while global consumption of alcohol has been decreasing since 2010, in the U.S. there has been an increase in consumption, meaning it is now nearly double the global average. File photo: A gastroenterologist doctor explaining liver and gallbladder problems using an anatomical model to a patient during a clinic visit. File photo: A gastroenterologist doctor explaining liver and gallbladder problems using an anatomical model to a patient during a clinic visit. peakSTOCK/Getty Images What The Review Found When people are exposed to both alcohol and PFAS chemicals, these "effects can add up or even multiply, leading to more serious liver injury," Vasiliou said. He added that vulnerable populations, or those with limited health care access, are particularly at risk. "Our review suggests that PFAS exposure may worsen the damage already caused by alcohol, raising the risk of progression from fatty liver to more severe conditions like cirrhosis or liver cancer," he said. The review noted that around two million deaths a year are estimated to occur due to advanced liver disease, predominantly cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, with alcohol consumption being a significant risk factor for these conditions. Alcohol contributed to nearly half of all cirrhosis deaths and over 150,000 new cases of liver cancer globally in 2016. "The findings are not unexpected," Dr. Suthat Liangpunsakul, a professor of medicine and of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, told Newsweek. "Both alcohol and PFAS have independently been shown to affect the liver through mechanisms such as oxidative stress, lipid dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction," Liangpunsakul said. "Given these overlapping pathways, the possibility that combined exposures may exacerbate liver injury is a reasonable hypothesis," he added. Liangpunsakul said the study therefore "brings together existing evidence in a way that highlights the need for further investigation." It adds to the "body of literature suggesting that multiple exposures, including lifestyle and environmental factors, can interact in complex ways to affect liver health," he said. However, "further research, particularly in human populations, will be important to better characterize these interactions and their potential clinical implications," he added. Vasiliou said that he and the other researchers in the laboratory are continuing to investigate the impact of PFAS chemicals on the liver in animal models and intend to expand research to human studies. In this photo illustration, water flows from a tap on July 06, 2023 in San Anselmo, California. In 2023, a study by the US Geological Survey found that nearly half of the tap water in... In this photo illustration, water flows from a tap on July 06, 2023 in San Anselmo, California. In 2023, a study by the US Geological Survey found that nearly half of the tap water in the United States was contaminated with "forever chemicals," considered dangerous to human health. More/Getty Images How PFAS Chemicals And Alcohol Could Harm The Liver PFAS chemicals may harm the liver by "disturbing fat metabolism, damaging mitochondria, increasing oxidative stress, and triggering inflammation," Vasiliou said, adding these were many of the same processes affected by alcohol. Liangpunsakul also said that PFAS chemicals "can accumulate in the liver" and cause the same problems mentioned by Vasiliou. Meanwhile, "alcohol has long-established and well-characterized hepatotoxic effects, particularly in the setting of chronic use," Liangpunsakul said. Therefore, the "real danger lies in their combined impact," Vasiliou said. "Together, they can accelerate liver damage in ways that neither might do alone." Liangpunsakul said that it is difficult to compare the "relative toxicity" of alcohol and PFAS, "as they operate under different exposure contexts and time courses." However, based on the review, he said that "PFAS may contribute additional stress to the liver, particularly in individuals with other risk factors such as alcohol use." While PFAS chemicals are in a wide range of everyday products, the most common way people are exposed to PFAS chemicals is through ingestion, Vasiliou said. "PFAS often enter our bodies through contaminated drinking water; food, especially fish [and] meat; fast-food packaging; and household products like nonstick cookware or stain-resistant fabrics," he said. Once ingested, PFAS chemicals can "circulate in the blood and accumulate in the liver, where they can persist for years due to their resistance to breakdown," he added. Those who are also occupationally exposed to the chemicals due to their work, such as firefighters or factory workers, may also "inhale PFAS or absorb them through the skin," he said. How Could The Research Shape The Treatment of Liver Disease? Liangpunsakul said the review highlights a growing area of scientific interest—"how environmental exposures might interact with more traditional risk factors like alcohol." He said that while "it is too early to say how this will influence clinical practice," the findings "may help guide future research into liver disease progression and its multifactorial drivers." "Improved understanding of co-exposures could eventually contribute to more refined risk assessment strategies," he added. The research also suggests that increasing awareness on individual PFAS exposure may become an important part of maintaining health. "For people with liver risk factors, such as alcohol abuse use or obesity, minimizing PFAS exposure could be especially important," Vasiliou said. However, "avoiding PFAS completely is difficult because they are so widespread, but people can take steps to reduce exposure," he added. He said individuals can use PFAS-free cookware and personal care products, filter drinking water with systems certified to remove PFAS, and check local advisories about contaminated water or fish. On a broader level, Vasiliou said that "stronger policies and better regulation are needed to reduce PFAS in our environment." Reference Arthur D Stem, Ricardo Scheufen Tieghi, Vaia Lida Chatzi, Nicole Kleinstreuer, Damaskini Valvi, David C Thompson, Vasilis Vasiliou, (2025). Synergistic Toxicity in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease and PFAS Exposure, Toxicological Sciences,
Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
US CDC vaccine presentation cites study that does not exist, author says
According to the CDC report, 96 per cent of all influenza vaccines in the US were thimerosal free during the 2024-25 flu season. PHOTO: REUTERS US CDC vaccine presentation cites study that does not exist, author says WASHINGTON - A review on the use of the preservative thimerosal in vaccines slated to be presented on June 26 to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's outside vaccine committee cites a study that does not exist, the scientist listed as the study's author said. The report, called 'Thimerosal as a Vaccine Preservative' published on the CDC website on June 24 , is to be presented by Ms Lyn Redwood, a former leader of the anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defence. It makes reference to a study called 'Low-level neonatal thimerosal exposure: Long-term consequences in the brain', published in the journal Neurotoxicology in 2008, and co-authored by UC Davis Professor Emeritus Robert Berman. But according to Dr Berman, 'it's not making reference to a study I published or carried out'. Dr Berman said he co-authored a similarly named study in a different journal - Toxicological Sciences - that came to different conclusions than those suggested by Ms Redwood. 'We did not examine the effects of thimerosal in microglia... I do not endorse this misrepresentation of the research,' he said. Reuters is the first to report on the inaccurate citation from Ms Redwood's planned presentation. Later on June 24 , the CDC uploaded a new version of Ms Redwood's presentation, removing the slide that cited the Berman study. The meeting has become increasingly controversial after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr just weeks ago abruptly fired all previous 17 members of the expert panel and named eight new members, half of whom have advocated against vaccines. Mr Kennedy, a long-time anti-vaccine activist, founded the Children's Health Defence. Both Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Democratic US Senator Patty Murray of Washington said the June 25 and 26 meeting should be postponed. The summary of the presentation suggested that there are enough thimerosal-free flu vaccines and that all pregnant women, infants and children should receive only those shots. It was not clear if the new advisory panel would be asked to vote on such a move. Ms Redwood's presentation was in contrast to a separate report posted by CDC staff on the CDC website on June 24 that says evidence does not support a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Mr Kennedy has long pushed a link between vaccines and autism contrary to scientific evidence. Ms Redwood could not be immediately reached for comment. An HHS spokesman said the study being referenced was the Toxicological Sciences study Dr Berman said was being misrepresented. The CDC's briefing material reviewed some studies on neurodevelopmental outcomes and vaccines that contain thimerosal, which has long been used in the US in multi-dose vials of medicines and vaccines to prevent germs from growing in them. According to the CDC report, 96 per cent of all influenza vaccines in the US were thimerosal free during the 2024-25 flu season. It also added that the number of pregnant women receiving a thimerosal-containing flu vaccine has decreased over time, with only 0.3 per cent of doses given in 2024 containing thimerosal. Mr Kennedy wrote a book in 2014 claiming that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, causes brain damage. On June 23 , Mr Cassidy, who heads the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, called for the meeting to be delayed, saying it should not take place with a relatively small panel and without a CDC director in place. Ms Murray, a senior member and former chair of the Help Committee, has also called for the fired panel members to be reinstated or the meeting be delayed until new members are appropriately vetted. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
