A study has just shown the influence of certain components of our environment on the organism and in particular on immunity.
What components are they?
These are perfluorinated compounds, PFCs, like Teflon. They are found almost everywhere in everyday life: in the coating of non-stick frying pans, food packaging, cosmetics and anti-stains. They are very persistent in the environment and inevitably end up in the food chain.
And these PCF would have an influence on the immunity of the children?
Indeed, researchers have studied young children in the Faroe Islands, exposed to these PFCs during their intrauterine life and in their first years of life. They found that they responded poorly to vaccinations. Indeed, after being vaccinated correctly against tetanus and diphtheria, the antibody levels of the children were too low.
Why do this study in the Faroe Islands? Are its inhabitants more exposed to PFCs than Europeans, for example?
We know that the high consumption of seafood is associated with a high absorption of PFCs, hence the idea of carrying out this study there where the exposure had been measured as being relatively high. But Americans and Canadians, children and adults alike, also have small amounts of these perfluorinated products in their blood. These PFCs are already known to be endocrine disruptors, but this time scientists looked at their effect on immunity and the poor response to vaccines was confirmation of what had already been seen in mice!
Are the effects on immunity and antibody production very important?
Effects are sufficient to render vaccinations against tetanus and diphtheria ineffective! The study found that the greater the exposure to these chemicals before age 5, the less ability children have to produce antibodies later in life. The strongest effect is seen at age 7, where the antibody level in children is halved if the rate of PFC exposure is doubled.
So what to do to escape the PCF?
Admittedly, vacuuming, but without much conviction because the experts believe that house dust is a “probable” source, but not certain. On the food side, for example, avoid pizza wrappers or bags of popcorn that go in the microwave, but be aware that fish and seafood are not without them. It will become difficult to know if the fish is good or not for you!
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