Urgent warning to middle-aged MEN as study reveals toxic 'forever chemicals' age males faster in their 50s and early 60s

Middle–aged men are most vulnerable to faster ageing due to 'forever chemicals', a study has warned.

Per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals often used in plastics, cleaning products and non–stick coatings.

They can take over 1,000 years to break down and have been detected in nearly all environments including remote Arctic areas, deep oceans, drinking water and human blood.

Now, experts have found that exposure to these forever chemicals is driving our biological clocks forward – with men aged between 50 and 64 at highest risk.

This means their 'internal' age – based on how healthy cells are – is higher than their actual, chronological age.

Having a higher biological age can have implications for health and life expectancy as it signifies your cells are deteriorating quicker than they should be – which is linked to chronic diseases such as cancer and dementia.

'Midlife is a sensitive biological window where the body becomes more susceptible to age–related stressors, which may explain why this group responds more strongly to chemical exposure,' first author Dr Ya–Qian Xu, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, said.

'We suspect that men may be at higher risk because the aging markers we analysed are heavily influenced by lifestyle factors such as smoking, which can compound the damaging effects of these pollutants.'

For their study, the team collected data on 326 older women and men from the US.

They all donated a blood sample, from which the scientists measured the concentration of 11 different types of PFAS.

The researchers fed this data into a range of 'epigenetic clocks' to estimate each participant's biological age.

Analysis revealed that two types of forever chemicals – regularly used in nonstick and stain–repellent coatings – were present in the blood of 95 per cent of participants.

Higher concentrations of forever chemicals, including one called PFNA, were specifically linked to faster biological clock ageing – especially for middle–aged men.

Other forever chemicals found in at least 85 per cent of participants included ones commonly used as protective coatings for products like carpets and fabrics.

'Our age–stratified results suggest midlife (50–64 years) as a critical window for PFNA–driven aging, which aligns with emerging evidence on the significant impact of environmental exposures during this period,' the team wrote in the journal Frontiers in Aging.

'Midlife is characterized by the onset of multiple age–related conditions including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and early tissue degeneration, making it a sensitive stage when environmental toxicants may disproportionately influence biological aging.'

The study found that while certain groups were more affected by forever chemicals, their concentration levels in the blood did not differ between men and women or across different ages. 

France recently banned the use of all PFAS in clothing and cosmetics, while the EU is considering a similar ban for specific uses.

The researchers said to reduce risk of exposure to PFAS, individuals can try to limit their consumption of packaged foods and avoid microwaving fast–food containers.

Studies have linked PFAS to infertility, behavioural problems, birth defects, high cholesterol levels and even various cancers, including kidney, testicular and ovarian.

As well as being ingested they can be inhaled through the lungs, and stay in our bodies for years.

According to the US's Endocrine Society, PFAS chemicals affect our biology by mimicking fatty acids – the building blocks of fat in our bodies.

They also act as endocrine–disrupting chemicals (EDCs) due to their ability to interfere with hormone systems.

Earlier this month scientists warned that toxic chemicals have been detected in several popular headphone devices.

Investigators found that every pair of 81 headphones they tested contained substances that can cause cancer, liver damage and brain development issues.

Chemicals harmful to humans were even found in headphones from top brands like Bose, Panasonic, Samsung and Sennheiser.

Experts warn that these toxic compounds could leach out of the plastic and enter our bodies through the skin.

Scientists from the European ToxFree LIFE for All project tested commercially available headphones for 'endocrine–disrupting' chemicals.

These compounds include the so–called 'forever chemicals' bisphenol A (BPA) and the similar bisphenol S (BPS), which mimic the effects of the sex hormone oestrogen inside our bodies, leading to the early onset of puberty in girls, feminisation of males, and cancer.

Worryingly, despite well–reported biological effects, the researchers found that 'hazardous substances were detected in every product tested'.