Scientists Warn: These Common Chemicals May Forever Alter Gut Health, Leading to Lifelong Disease
Research on mice indicates that early exposure to persistent organic pollutants disrupts the gut microbiome significantly, influencing the onset of metabolic disorders in adulthood.
New research led by Penn State reveals that early exposure to ‘forever chemicals’ in the environment permanently disrupts the gut microbiome in mice, potentially leading to the development of metabolic diseases later in life. The findings, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, suggest that similar exposure in early childhood could be a factor in the rising incidence of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, among adults.
The researchers focused specifically on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF), a widespread persistent organic pollutant (POP) that is a byproduct of waste incineration, metal production, and fossil-fuel and wood combustion. TCDF accumulates in the food chain, and humans are primarily exposed through the consumption of high-fat foods, such as meat, dairy products, and some fish. Babies can be exposed through the consumption of breast milk.
“POPs are pervasive in the environment and nearly every living organism has been exposed,” said Andrew Patterson, John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor of Molecular Toxicology and of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State. “The negative health effects of these chemicals are well documented and include birth defects and cancer. Our study is the first to suggest that early-life exposure to a certain POP, called TCDF, also disrupts the gut microbiome and is associated with metabolic disorders later in life.”
