Veterans have higher levels of ‘forever chemicals’ in their blood than civilians, new study finds

A large swath of veterans has a higher concentration of “forever chemicals” in their blood than non-veterans, according to a new peer-reviewed study published last week. That high concentration is more prevalent in veterans below the age of 40.

The study, conducted by researchers at Brown University and Harvard University and published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, compared levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in veterans’ blood with civilians’, using federal health data. PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in cookware as well as weapons or firefighting foams and other materials and equipment. More than 10,000 compounds exist.

The study used PFAS blood serum results from surveys done between 2003 and 2018. Of the more than 22 million veterans who participated in the study, 58% were found to have higher levels of PFAS than the threshold set by the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

The biggest concentration was found in veterans between the ages of 20 and 39, where the concentrations of the chemicals were 13% to 24% higher than their non-veteran peers in the same age range. The study noted some reasons for that higher concentration among younger veterans — that younger veterans are likely to have more recent exposure, and that PFAS concentrations can decrease with age.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, PFAS exposure can be associated with an increased risk of cancers, immune system problems, and increased risk of asthma or thyroid disease, among other health issues.

The chemicals gained their “forever” nickname due to the extremely slow rate at which they break down. Although found around the world, they have been found on military bases, often as a result of their use in firefighting foams used on installations. Those foams are a source of contamination of groundwater on bases, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“If you’re a male veteran between the ages of 20 and 39, it would be advisable to speak to a physician about getting tested for PFAS levels,” the study’s lead author Christian Hoover, a fellow at Brown’s School of Public Health, said in a release on the findings. “It’s also a good idea for people in this category to have a conversation about the health conditions associated with elevated PFAS levels, to see if screening for those conditions makes sense.” 

Concerns over the impact of PFAS on active-duty troops’ and veterans’ health has been a bipartisan issue, with multiple pieces of legislation introduced — but not passed — to try and add treatment to the chemicals to service-connected disability coverage at the VA. Last year, the Government Accountability Office found that the Department of Defense has spent more than $2 billion since 2017 on inspections and cleanup at more than 700 installations with known or suspected PFAS releases.

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