How to Detox PFAS: 7 methods found in studies (and some that haven't officially been proven yet)

• "From a dietary standpoint, the best way to lower your cholesterol is reduce your intake of saturated fat and trans fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to less than 6% of daily calories and minimizing the amount of trans fat you eat.
• Reducing these fats means limiting your intake of red meat and dairy products made with whole milk. Choose skim milk, low-fat or fat-free dairy products instead. It also means limiting fried food and cooking with healthy oils, such as vegetable oil.
• A heart-healthy diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, nuts and nontropical vegetable oils, while limiting red and processed meats, sodium and sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.

• Physical activity is important. At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week is enough to lower both cholesterol and high blood pressure.

• Quitting Smoking"

Cholestyramine is a prescription medication that is given to people to help lower their cholesterol levels. 

"PFAS also enter the intestine as a component of bile; where they can be reabsorbed and returned to the liver through enterohepatic circulation, in a repeating cycle of biliary excretion and reabsorption (Jandacek and Tso, 2007; Lau et al., 2007). Cholestyramine, a bile acid sequestrant resin historically used in the treatment of lipid disorders, increases the excretion of cholesterol in the form of bile acids rather than allowing for enterohepatic circulation."

6. Fish Oil / Omega-3 fatty acid supplements - This is an interesting one.

PFAS have contaminated our water supply extensively - so much so that fish is one of the most significant sources of PFAS in our diet.

When scientists studied people taking fish oil supplements, they expected those people to have higher levels of PFAS... but in fact, it was the opposite. 

"While fish oil users did not experience increased serum PFAS, there was an unexpected inverse association in some population subgroups."

What's interesting as well, is that high levels of Omega-3's are routinely prescribed to people with high cholesterol levels, in order to help reduce their cholesterol. More research is needed in order to understand the mechanisms behind this... but the results are promising. 

7. Donating blood - the only "official" way - A 52-week randomized clinical trial among 285 Australian firefighters showed that 6-week serial plasma donations led to small but significantly reduced serum PFOS and PFHxS compared to controls, while 12-week serial blood donations decreased PFOS only 

Things that haven't been studied but show to have the same mechanisms for reducing PFAS from your body... 

* Psyllium / Metamucil - 

Metamucil and cellulose increase bile salt excretion slightly but significantly; the effect of cholestyramine is several times as great. However, Metamucil and cellulose resemble frequently ingested food components which may be important determinants of “spontaneous” variations in bile salt turnover.

* Zeolite - Zeolite is currently being tested to remediate PFAS in wastewater and other sources... so it may be possible to have it help us detox us it from our bodies as well. 

* Red Yeast Rice - Red yeast rice extract is a traditional Chinese cholesterol-lowering agent.

Red yeast rice extract contains monacolins, like monacolin K. This substance inhibits the same enzymes that statins target, the hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase. It may, therefore, have the same effect as the statin medication lovastatin (Mevacor).

Red yeast rice extract products do not go through the same regulatory evaluations as prescription medications - so it's important that if you're interested in trying a new supplement, make sure it has clinical data proving its' efficacy. 

I found this one at Whole Foods - but make sure to discuss with your doctor before taking anything new.