PFAS change calcium in the body
26.02.2025
A new study, published in the journal Chemosphere and carried out in collaboration between the University of Padua and Vicenza Hospital, has explored how PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) can affect human health, in particular by altering calcium metabolism. The research, funded by the Veneto Region, involved 1,174 adults from an area that has been affected by drinking water contamination for decades, namely the Veneto Red Area.
PFAS, an acronym for ‘perfluorinated alkylated substances’, originated in the 1940s as so-called ‘synthetic’ chemical compounds. Today we count over 4,000 substances belonging to this family, which are widely used in industry. There are many industrial processes in which PFASs are involved due to their resistance and low affinity for both water and grease. In fact, they are water-repellent and oil-repellent substances.
PFASs, used, therefore, in various industrial and consumer products, are a growing public health concern. One of the most common effects in individuals exposed to even low levels of these substances is osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone fragility, typical of ageing, but which can also occur at a young age in the event of prolonged exposure to PFAS.
Carlo Foresta, coordinator of this study, which involved researchers from Padua, Vicenza and Naples and is the result of four years of work, explained that PFAS damage bone cells and reduce bone density, resulting in the release of calcium in the blood. Previous research by the same group had already shown a decrease in bone density in 18-year-olds living in the contaminated area. This effect was attributed to PFAS interference with the vitamin D receptor, which is crucial for bone health.
The study analysed PFAS, calcium, vitamin D and parathormone levels in the blood of 655 men and 519 women aged between 20 and 69 years, and the results showed that people with higher PFAS concentrations also had higher levels of calcium in their blood. However, the researchers ruled out that this alteration was due to changes in vitamin D or parathormone levels, suggesting instead a direct interference of PFAS with bone metabolism.
Andrea Di Nisio, first author of the research, explained that the observed increase in calcium could result from the release of calcium from the bones, in particular through the activation of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption. This mechanism could explain the loss of bone density found in previous studies.
The results achieved contribute to the growing interest in the impact of PFAS on the environment and public health, with particular attention to the contamination of drinking water in Veneto, which has been going on for decades.
Indeed, the research shows how prolonged exposure to PFAS, even at low levels, can have long-term effects on health, highlighting the urgency of addressing the problem of PFAS contamination and the need to protect the health of exposed populations.
