PFCs, or perfluorocarbons, have been linked to earlier menopause in women, say researchers.
According to the study, women exposed to high amounts of the PFCs go through menopause earlier than other women. These chemicals can be found in many common household items such as furniture, the carpet, plastic food containers, cooking pans and more, Reuters reports. The US plans to phase out the use of PFCs by 2015.
The research was conducted as a part of a lawsuit filed over water contamination. A study group revealed that residents in the area had 500 percent higher content of PFCs in their blood than the average American. Additionally, of the women between the ages of 42 and 51, those who had higher levels of PFCs in their blood more likely to have already gone through menopause.
However, lead researcher Dr. Sarah Knox of the West Virginia University School of Medicine cautions, It's a correlation, and correlation is not causation... We can't say that PFCs cause early menopause."
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
