Nonstick pans. Microwave popcorn. Carpets. All contain perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), a group of chemicals that have been linked to early menopause, high cholesterol, and now possibly damage to the immune system. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found PFC exposure to be widespread in the American population.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that children with high levels of PFCs in their blood had lower-than-expected immune responses to two common childhood immunizations. This is the first study to ever have found a link between abnormal immune response and PFCs.
Researchers are not sure if PFCs can affect the entire immune system, including allergies. What they have found is of enough concern that they recommend parents limit their young children's exposure to things like microwave popcorn and nonstick pans.
