What Are PFAS? Understand PFAS and How to Avoid Them

PFAS are everywhere. Your laundry detergent, your furniture, and your food are loaded with these toxic chemicals and they are wreaking havoc on your Immune System! "What the heck is a PFAS?" you might say, I thought you'd never ask. Let's peel back this wrapper and see what's inside.

With all the toxins out there these days, it may seem daunting to learn about yet another new one. However, the chemicals known as “PFAS” have actually been around for over fifty years.

They are substances that are included in hundreds of products and in everything from non-stick pans to outdoor ware. This makes them chemical additives that you need to know about. Luckily, there are ways to avoid PFAS as well as detox them out of your system with the proven methods listed below.

What Are PFAS?

PFAS stands for “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” They are chemicals made up of carbon and fluorine atoms. The fluorine-carbon bonds are what make PFAS useful for so many products, especially those that claim to be “stain-resistant,” water repellent, or “non-stick” (such as non-stick kitchenware). The most common kinds of PFAS are:

PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid)
PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
PFBS (perfluorobutane sulfonic acid)
PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid
PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid)

There is a downside to all the convenience that PFAS provides, however. The same bonds that make them so attractive for so many products have also been shown to be extremely hazardous to human health and the environment.

To make the situation worse, PFAS do not break down readily over time. This is why many experts now call PFAS chemicals “forever chemicals.”

Where Are PFAS Found?

Products that are made to be stain-resistant, water-repellent, non-stick, oil-resistant, or flame-retardant will more than likely have some amount of PFAS chemicals in them. Items that may contain PFAS include:

Outdoor gear
Carpets and carpet cleaning products
Clothing
Cosmetics
Sealants, adhesives, and glues
Furniture
Car seats
Mattresses (including crib mattresses)
Cookware (non-stick especially)
Food packaging
Drinking water
The soil (1)

As you can see, the list above represents literally hundreds (maybe even thousands) of individual items, many of which you probably use every day.

Of particular concern are PFAS found in food packaging. PFAS is used to make up most plastic wrappers and boxes, paperboard, paper cups, and microwave popcorn bags. This means that the majority of fast food and pre-packaged items you get at either the grocery store or at a fast-food restaurant will contain some amount.

The consumer organization Consumer Reports recently found PFAS in over 100 food packaging items obtained from restaurants across the U.S. For example, they found them in paper bags, “molded fiber” bowls used for salads, hamburger wrappers, french fry containers, and one-time-use paper plates. (2)

The Wilbur Tennant Lawsuit: Making the Case for PFAS in Water and Soil

So, what exactly is the harm of PFAS? The truth is that industry leaders and scientists have known about the risks for years. Studies in the 1950s and 1960s showed the build-up of PFAS in the blood of factory workers as well as among certain cigarette smokers.

(3) Sadly, it wasn’t until almost fifty years later that concrete evidence would surface to prove the dangers of even low-level exposure.

Wilbur Tennant was a farmer near Parkersburg, West Virginia. In 1998, he watched as his herd of over 200 head of cattle began to die of a mysterious illness. Tennant’s property butted up against a new landfill that belonged to DuPont for their nearby mega-factory.

Tennant suspected that whatever was in the landfill was to blame since a waterway named Dry Run Creek flowed through the landfill and into a pasture where Tennant’s cattle grazed. Right after Dupont put the landfill in, Tennant noticed that the cows’ behavior began to change. Eventually, Tennant and his family became physically ill as well.

Tennant’s case was settled in 2001 and his complaints would eventually morph into other class-action lawsuits representing nearly 70,000 individuals in the region. The lawsuits provided proof that PFAS in water and soil caused significant human harm.

For example, Leach v. DuPont proved that a type of PFAS called PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid or “C-8”) had the ability to kick in latent diseases, including cancer. PFOA was used by Dupont to make Teflon coating for products manufactured in their Parkersburg factory. (4)

Harmful Effects of PFAS

The settlements also became the catalyst for the creation of the “C8 Science Panel.” (5) From C8 studies and others, we now know that pretty much all of the most common types of PFAS (mentioned above) can be seen in water supplies and in the soil. (6)

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, nearly the entire global population has some type of PFAS in their body. (7)

For almost ten years between 2005 and 2013, the panel also investigated links between PFAS and a number of conditions, including:

High cholesterol levels
Ulcerative colitis
Thyroid disease
Kidney disease
Testicular cancer
Liver damage
Cancer
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (8)

The links between PFAS and such a wide range of ailments has to do with the effect PFAS chemicals have on the immune system. In a series of investigations conducted at the University of Milan, Italian investigators found that PFOA and other PFAS chemicals suppress a number of crucial immune system mechanisms, including Natural Killer (NK) cell production. On the other hand, they also found that PFAS have the ability to increase the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, causing a higher risk for disease. (9)

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The links between PFAS and such a wide range of ailments has to do with the effect PFAS chemicals have on the immune system

What Can You Do About PFAS?

Because PFAS are in so many products, you may get the sense that there is simply no way to avoid them. This is not entirely true. Although you may not be able to stay clear of these harmful substances entirely, there are actions you can take to reduce your exposure and get these “forever chemicals” out of your system.

Here are a few tips ...

Go PFAS-Free When You Shop! First and foremost, you can use the power of your pocketbook to purchase products that have “PFAS-Free” or “PFOA-free” labels and chose not to purchase items that contain them. This is especially true of items you may be exposed to daily, such as prepared foods, kitchenware, new carpeting and furniture, and clothing. Also, when you grocery shop, purchase whole foods that do not come in any kind of plastic or paper packaging as much as you can. Loose produce, liquids in glass containers, and bulk options for beans and grains are some examples.
Get a Quality Water Filtration System. Next, make sure you have an adequate water filtration system for both drinking and bathing. Low-grade filters may not remove PFAS so be sure to purchase a high-quality unit that can remove most major chemical additives. According to experts, most quality reverse osmosis systems can do the trick.
Utilize Consumer Guides. Use the power of the internet to access guides such as the PFAS Contamination Map put out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the PFAS Guide put out by the Green Science Policy Institute (GSPI) to further your knowledge and be “in the know” of PFAS levels in your area and in the products you purchase.
Detox from PFAS. Earlier on we mentioned that one of the characteristics of PFAS is that they can last a long time without breaking down. In fact, many speculate that these substances may never actually break down at all. It stands to reason that if these substances remain “forever” in the environment, they also remain inside your body too. That is, unless you do something about it!

Reducing PFAS exposure in the ways we mentioned above will kickstart the detoxification process naturally. This is because any time you lower your toxic “load,” your body naturally kicks in deeper detoxification mechanisms in the gut, liver, and lymph system as well as at the cellular level (where PFAS like to hang out). (10)

You can significantly encourage detoxification by practicing a healthy lifestyle in general. This includes eating a whole food, organic/non-GMO diet, getting plenty of (filtered) water for adequate hydration, moving your body regularly, and using stress-reduction tools.

Yes, these practices may seem quite simple-- and they are! They are also powerful ways to rebalance your body that can spell the different between low energy and disease and a life of vibrant health! (11)

Beta Glucans Help Your Immune System Get Rid of PFAS

Once you have covered the basics, it's time to get specific. It would be best if you use particular protocols to support your body's fight to recover from the harmful effects of PFAS. One of the best ways to do this is through targeted supplementation. Few natural substances are proven to make a difference against the adverse effects of hard-to-tackle toxins, such as PFAS. (12)

One of the best ways to mitigate the impact of PFAS on our immune response is with beta-glucans. In a ground-breaking investigation conducted by researchers at Kyung Hee University in South Korea, exposure to PFOS and PFOA showed signs of significant across-the-board immune system suppression. The researchers gave a combination of beta-glucan, vitamin C, and resveratrol.

The results were terrific. The immune response quickly corrected as the result of the beta-glucan activating proper immune levels. According to the researchers, beta-glucans can "potentially be successfully used as a natural remedy against immunotoxicity induced by low-level exposure(s) to perfluorinated compounds." (13)

Researchers have long known about the immune-system effects and normalizing potential of beta-glucans. Thousands of medical journal articles speak to the proof of safety and efficacy. Beta glucans are small substances with complex molecules called "polysaccharides" that develop naturally within the cell walls of many whole foods, including grains, yeasts, mushrooms, and seaweeds.

Once they are highly purified, removing the lipids and proteins to which they are bound, they safely pass through the intestinal wall to interact directly with the immune cells found in the lining of our intestines. When we ingest them, these unique microscopic substances literally "kick start" crucial immune system functions that PFAS has disrupted PFAS.

Beta-glucans originating from Baker's Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) have long since proven to be the most effective for helping boost immune system function. A 2017 study report published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology found that yeast-derived beta-glucans increased the output and effectiveness of T cells, monocytes, and beneficial cytokines in athletes suffering from exercise-induced immune suppression.

(14) A more recent investigation found that these same kinds of beta-glucans could enhance the effectiveness of immune system regulators for inflammation. (15)

Give Your Body (and Your Immune System) What It Needs to Thrive

Human bodies can self-heal as long as they have all the right stuff. Unfortunately, there are a lot of elements in the world today that get in the way of creating this environment.

Toxic exposure to "forever chemicals" PFAS is a fact of life these days. Luckily, once you are in the know about PFAS, then you can do something about them.

As more people "wake up" to toxic exposure and say "no" to products that include substances like PFAS, the more manufacturer practices and government policies will change. Being proactive in our healing by using substances like beta-glucans-- and then passing this vital information on to those we care about-- is the only way that the toxic state of our health and world will change.

FAQ

For more information about beta glucan, Better Way Health and more, visit our FAQ page. To speak to an Amazing Customer Experience Specialist, give us a call at 800.746.7640or email us at hello@betterwayhealth.com

Our Beta Glucan goes through a rigorous purification process developed by the creator: AJ Lanigan. Once this purification process takes place, only about 10% of a given “batch” meets our 85% minimum purity standard. The “scraps”, so to speak (the other 90% of the batches), are then sold off and marketed by other companies. In addition, the product has been tested time and time again to prove its efficacy. When compared to other heavily marketed immune system products, our product comes out on top every single time. These comparison studies are conducted by a disinterested third party researcher at the University of Louisville: Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka. In these studies, immune response levels are safely tested on both humans and animals. Our product is also Non-GMO and encased in a Vegan, plant-based capsule.

-Better Way Health

Better Way Health Beta Glucan is certainly one of the most renowned brands out there in the marketplace. In our world of immune system support, when you ask “What’s the best immune system supplement out there?”; well, the Better Way Health name is the most recognized.

Anyone who has spent time reviewing side-by-side comparisons of our product with, again, just about any other kind of immune compound; regardless of the source, you’re going to find that Beta Glucan 500 by Better Way Health outperforms all competitors. This has been the case for years; this is not a new phenomenon that conclusive research done by disinterested third parties in major universities and teaching hospitals all over the world agree that the potency of Glucan 500 makes it 100% the leading immune system product available.

-AJ Lanigan

The immunomodulating aspects of Beta Glucan is what makes it safer and more efficacious than the competition. Studies confirm our Beta Glucan is the most effective immune system product on the market, including even other beta glucans. The patented purification process developed by AJ Lanigan is what makes our Beta Glucan more biologically active and beneficial to consumers.

-Better Way Health

This is rather easy to answer. Our Beta Glucan has one really big advantage in that it is the most studied natural immonomodulator of them all. The biological studies number in the tens of thousands. For most other products, you may find 10 to 15 studies. If you have 10,000+ papers from all around the world, that cannot be ignored.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

We did a couple of studies and we published them comparing some individual glucans to individual immune-modulators like Echinacea. That is one example, most of the clinical studies on that plant failed because one company is using leaves, one is using roots and each has a different quality inside so you never know what you get.

With the "mixture" type products, it is even worse because some manufacturers are just trying to either increase the price by putting five things together, so it’s not 30 bucks it’s now $50. None of these manufacturers are actually doing any research on the combinations of their ingredients.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

This topic is like comparing Super Bowl Champions (Better Way Health Beta Glucan) to Recreational Sports Teams (the competition). There is practically no comparison; when you look at the average Immune System Product on the market, even an abundance of it may only be able to raise your Immune Response 2 to 3 percent. That increase, however, may be costing you thousands of dollars; thus, I would not consider that to be much of a comparison. For about 1$ a day, with our Glucan 500 product, you can get your immune response up to about 60% (double the innate human immunity): no one can compete with that efficacy.

-AJ Lanigan

Beta Glucan has been studied for over 50 years at major universities and teaching hospitals, all of which are disinterested third party researchers. There are more than 150,000 glucan studies on PubMed.gov and nearly 50,000 studies involving glucans and humans. Our Beta Glucan specifically has been featured in over 20 medical journals, including the prestigious American Journal of Immunology and the Journal of Medicinal Food.

-Better Way Health

There are more than 150,000 studies on Glucan that you can find on Medline and PubMed. Roughly, you can also find 50,000 studies on Glucans and their interaction with Humans. Throughout these studies, there has never been an adverse side effect found with our Beta Glucan.

-AJ Lanigan

Other than the thousands of studies out there, there is an excellent book by Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka from the University of Louisville entitled, Beta Glucan: Nature’s Secret. It’s about 157 pages and provides a quick, educational read for those interested in everything Beta Glucan: the history, safety, benefits, and mechanism of action of Beta Glucan. The bibliography included in the book provides dozens of other peer-reviewed articles and journals for curious consumers.

-AJ Lanigan

If somebody goes to PubMed.Gov or some kind of scientific database, there is about 150,000 hits now and about 50 new papers appear every week. The research is really booming.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

Anyone / anything with an immune system can benefit from taking Beta Glucan, including both humans and pets. Our immune system is our first line of defense and it can always use additional “soldiers.” Keep in mind that our Beta Glucan makes a person’s immune system smarter and stronger, but never causes overstimulation or harm. There are no known side effects.

-Better Way Health

“Anyone who is living can benefit from a healthier Immune System” – A.J. Lanigan

People who want proper support for their Immune System should use this product. People who simply want to maintain or regain their good health can benefit from this product as well.

Many conditions, whether environmental or physical, put significant stress on the Immune System.

Infectious Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, Chemotherapy Treatment, Radiation, Allergies, Asthma, and Stress are all severely taxing on the body. This type of suppression and depression of the immune system is what puts everyone’s health person at risk. Be proactive; take a product that benefits your overall health by enhancing your body’s own natural ability to stay well and recuperate.

That’s right, anyone and everyone can benefit from the immune modulating effects of Beta-1, 3D Glucan.

-AJ Lanigan

For people who are under heavy stress or are just working in some kind of extreme conditions, they need all the help they can get. Proactive supplementation is also recommended for Flu and Cold seasons

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

For maximum immune response, take one 500mg capsule per 50 lbs. of body weight. For example, if you weigh around 150 lbs. you would need to take 3 capsules per day. All capsules should be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. After taking your capsules, wait 30 minutes before eating or consuming other products. If you forget to take your capsules in the morning it is safe to go ahead and take your Beta Glucan during the day, although the benefits will not be as significant. Remember, these dosage instructions are for maximum immune response, any dose (i.e., 1 capsule per day) is still extremely beneficial.

-Better Way Health

Maximum dose is based on body weight: Remember, your weight in kg’s is your weight in pounds divided by 2.2. For example, a 220lb person is 100kg. The guideline for maintaining good health is 2mg/kg of body weight per day. For the 220 pound person mentioned above, who is 100kg, they should take 200mg per day and that would be extraordinarily effective Immune Support.

For people who want or need additional immune support, there is a 500mg capsule. The recommendation for this group is 20 mg/kg/day or a 500mg capsule for every 50 pounds of body weight. Thus, a 100kg person (220lb) would take 4 capsules of the 500mg per day; for a 110 pound person, two capsules of the 500mg Beta Glucan would suffice. If your weight does not calculate out to an exact dose, round up or down depending on your needs; or you can average it out by taking 1 capsule one day and 2 the next.

The point is, the product is safe and you can be flexible with dosage if you reflect the guidelines above. Even taking just 1 - 500mg capsule each day is an extremely beneficial dose.

Neutrophils and monocytes in our blood live only for a couple of days. That is why you have a need for constant, daily, glucan consumption because they die and the new cells are appearing and then you need the glucan again to boost these immune cells.

-Dr. Vaclav Vetvicka

No, there are no known side effects pertaining to our Beta Glucan. There have been numerous safe human and animal studies showing the safety of Beta Glucan. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given our Beta Glucan GRAS rating, which means Generally Recognized as Safe under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This certification is extremely hard to achieve especially when it comes to a dietary supplement.

-Better Way Health

You can absolutely take this product without worry! There have been multiple studies done on fully-healthy people looking at every health parameter you can imagine: organs, tissues, chemicals, brain function, etcetera.

No harmful effects were caused at any dosage level. Even people who were taking doses that were exponentially higher than any level we recommend, (some of the more exotic animal studies have doses that exceed 800X the recommended dosage) displayed 0 side effects whatsoever. As I am famous for saying, “unless you hit somebody in the eye with the bottle, there is no harm that can be caused by this product”

-AJ Lanigan

Beta Glucan enhances a person’s immune response in a safe way. The average person has about a 30% active immune response. When someone takes our Beta Glucan it raises that person’s immune response to 60%, and in some cases even more, if they are taking the maximum immune response dosage. This allows for your immune system to recognize cells that are both self and non-self more effectively. I’m sure you can imagine the benefits of walking around with a doubled immune response/immune system!

-Better Way Health

Beta Glucan enhances the immune system by improving the immune response when the immune system is confronted by something that does not belong. This could be a foreign body that it sees as “non-self,” something like a virus, a bacteria, a fungus form, or a parasite.

Our Beta-1, 3D Glucan is an intensely purified, highly active form of Beta Glucan; that, when taken orally with a glass of water, attaches to specific sites on the immune cells: the CR3 receptors. By attaching or binding to these specific sites, it activates these cells. It’s like putting the cells on “high alert” to the foreign bodies that they see as non-self. This process is referred to as immune modulation, not stimulation.

Immune stimulation presumably occurs with substances like Echinacea and Colostrum. Beta Glucan modulates or activates but doesn’t over stimulate, which is key to the safety of the compound. Research shows that our Beta-1, 3D Glucan is a highly effective immune modulator. It’s easily absorbed through, what we call, the Peyer’s Patches in the Small Intestine. Once these beta glucan “micro-particles” are taken up through this area in the small intestine, they will then be absorbed through phagocytosis or “gobbled up” by the immune cells in the gut.

They’ll travel around the body and it is the immune cells themselves that will digest and secrete the perfect molecule that binds to the CR 3 receptor and activates the immune system.

-AJ Lanigan

Beta Glucan is not temperature sensitive. If it is exposed to extreme hot or cold temperatures, the efficacy of the product will not be impacted. However, we do recommend keeping a close eye on your tracking information, which is sent to you via email with all orders. This way you know when your order will arrive and when you will be able to retrieve it from your mailbox or front door.

Our Beta Glucan is made in Wisconsin, USA and bottled / encapsulated in Oregon, USA.

Our highly purified Beta Glucan powder is encased in PLANTCAPS™, which is a Plant-based capsule made from pullulan – naturally fermented from tapioca.

After 50 years of research, our Beta Glucan has no known side effects, or interactions with a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) rating by the FDA. It is one of the safest, most effective dietary supplements on the market.

Many women take our Beta Glucan while breastfeeding, to help support their immune system. Babies can also benefit from mom's immune system giving the best response possible.

However, if you have any concerns whatsoever, we recommend consulting with your health care professional before use, as a precautionary measure.

Still have questions?

Our ACES Team is always there to help.

support@betterwayhealth.com Live Chat 800.746.7640

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About the author

Taylor Morris

As COO of Better Way Health, Taylor creates and Implements business operations and policies that reinforce our company culture. He ensures we stick to our core values and provides resources to elevate our team members in their respective roles. He is the day-to-day backbone of our world-class customer service and a seasoned authority on Beta Glucan.