WebMD Medical News Laura J. Martin, MD March 25, 2011 -- Women
exposed to high levels of chemicals called perfluorocarbons
(PFCs) may enter menopause earlier, new research suggests. PFCs
are man-made chemicals found in many household products such as
food containers and stain-resistant clothing as well as in
water, soil, and plants. ''Before this study, there was strong
evidence from animal research that PFCs were endocrine
disruptors," says researcher Sarah Knox, PhD, professor of
epidemiology at the West Virginia University School of Medicine,
Morgantown. For the study, she evaluated the levels of two PFCs,
called PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFOA
(perfluorooctanoate) in nearly 26,000 women, ages 18 to 65.
Overall, she found, ''the higher the perfluorocarbons, the
earlier the menopause." Women between ages 42 and 64 with the
highest blood levels of the PFCs were more likely to have
experienced menopause than those with the lowest levels. One of
the chemicals, PFOS, affected levels of the hormone est