How Science is Paving the Way For Clearing "Forever Chemicals" From Your Blood
If you’ve been following the Relentless Health blog, you know that relying on "safe" chemical exposure limits is a losing game for your health. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and microplastics have infiltrated our water, our food, and unfortunately, our bloodstreams. But while regulations remain stalled and exposure seems inevitable, science is finally making serious headway on a crucial question: Once forever chemicals are in your body, how do you get them out?
Recently, a major scientific breakthrough gave us an unexpected answer.
A Common Cholesterol Treatment Offers Clues to PFAS Reduction
Researchers have discovered that a treatment originally designed for severe cardiovascular disease might double as a PFAS and microplastic detox.
As recently highlighted by ScienceAlert, a study published in the journal Brain Health investigated therapeutic apheresis, specifically double filtration plasmapheresis. This clinical procedure involves passing a patient's blood through a machine to filter out harmful, fat-carrying particles (like LDL cholesterol) before returning the blood to the body.
The surprise? When scientists tested blood samples before and after the procedure, they found that concentrations of some common PFAS had dropped dramatically, in some cases by up to 75% immediately following treatment.
Why did a cholesterol filter capture forever chemicals? It turns out that PFAS molecules often bind to blood proteins and travel right alongside lipoproteins. When the machine filters out the bad cholesterol, it takes the toxic hitchhikers with it. The study even found that the same filters were successfully trapping circulating microplastics.
While therapeutic apheresis is currently a specialized medical procedure for specific conditions (and not something you can just book at a local wellness spa), it shows an incredibly important point: PFAS can be physically removed from the bloodstream.
Blood and Plasma Donation: Giving to Get Rid of Toxins
Apheresis isn't the only mechanical method to potentially reduce PFAS levels. Over the past few years, researchers have been heavily investigating a much more accessible way to physically draw PFAS out of the body: blood and plasma donation.
Because PFAS primarily bind to proteins in blood serum rather than fat tissue, removing blood physically removes the chemicals. A landmark clinical trial involving firefighters (who face high occupational exposure to PFAS via firefighting foams, PFAS-ladened turnout gear, and exposure to chemicals in structure fires) showed remarkable results. Participants who donated plasma every six weeks saw their blood serum PFAS concentrations drop by roughly 30% over a 12-month period, while regular whole blood donors saw about a 10% reduction.
Therapeutic phlebotomy is now actively being researched and utilized in highly exposed populations as a legitimate way to reduce body burden. Not only does it lower your toxic load, but if you do it via standard donation, you're potentially saving a life in the process.
Supporting Natural Clearance Through Probiotics
Mechanical removal through clinical filters or blood donation is highly effective, but what if we could optimize the body's natural elimination pathways?
Your body is naturally eliminating small amounts of PFAS every day, but it often struggles to keep up with the constant influx of modern exposure. That’s where Cambiotics comes in.
As we discussed in our June update, Cambiotics is pioneering the use of targeted probiotics to support the natural clearance of PFAS. The company is working on specific probiotic strains designed to bind to synthetic chemicals in the digestive tract before they can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream. By optimizing gut health and supporting natural excretion, these probiotics could potentially accelerate the body's detox processes without the need for needles or clinical machinery.
The Bottom Line: Measure, Mitigate, Monitor, Maintain
Forever chemicals might be built to last, but they don't have to stay in your body forever. Whether through clinical breakthroughs like therapeutic apheresis, the practical benefits of regular plasma donation, or targeted natural clearance with probiotics, the tools to fight back are finally arriving.
But as we always say here at Relentless Health: you can't manage what you don't measure.
If you’re concerned about your toxic burden, the first step is knowing your baseline. Our PFAS Core Panel gives you insights from the comfort of your home so you can take relentless control of your health.
Want early access to Cambiotics? Check the link to learn more and register for early access to probiotics that support the natural clearance of PFAS!
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this article or on the web site represents medical advice or an offer of medical, diagnostic, or treatment products or services. Anyone concerned about their health should consult a licensed medical professional.
