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Two common $1.50 medications eliminate cancer-causing 'forever chemicals' from the body READ MORE: Experts warn 100million Americans tap water contains PFAS By LUKE ANDREWS, US SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER Published: 15:48 GMT, 6 November 2025 | Updated: 16:28 GMT, 6 November 2025 Cancer-causing forever chemicals building up in the body could be eliminated using two common medications that are readily available, scientists say. In a small study, scientists in Sweden tracked 10 adults with unusually high levels of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood after exposure to contaminated municipal water. For one week, the patients were prescribed a drug used to lower cholesterol: cholestyramine, sold under the brand name Questran. Then, for 12 weeks, they were prescribed another cholesterol medication: colesevelam, sold as Welchol. Overall, PFAS levels in feces were 23-fold higher after the cholestyramine week compared to the no medication week, suggesting the drug removed, or 'flushed', PFAS out of the body. During the 12 weeks on colesevelam, blood tests showed PFAS levels fell by up to 38 percent, compared with just two percent during a 12-week period with no medication. The researchers emphasized that the study was small, and would need to be repeated in a much larger population to confirm the results. They also said it was observational, and could not prove whether the drugs or another factor had the effect. Doctors say the medications should not be taken by those who do not have high cholesterol unless they are prescribed off-label to treat a separate condition. The team added, however, that the results did suggest the medications could potentially be repurposed to help actively reduce 'forever chemical' buildup in the human body. There is no level of safe exposure to forever chemicals and they have been linked to multiple cancers, asthma, fertility problems, obesity, birth defects, diabetes and autism It was not clear why the drugs may have reduced PFAS levels in the body, but the scientists said this may have been because they stopped the reabsorption of the chemicals from the digestive tract. The drugs are bile acid sequestrants, meaning they bind to bile acids in the digestive tract to stop them from being reabsorbed into the blood stream, lowering cholesterol. The researchers said this action could also have stopped PFAS from being absorbed from the digestive tract or reabsorbed if it was excreted into this area, lowering levels. Other experts suggest that PFAS may undergo enterohepatic recirculation in the body, when something is excreted into bile that is excreted into the intestine, and then reabsorbed. Estimates suggest that more than nine in 10 Americans now have some level of PFAS in their blood, with the chemicals leeching from nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics and grease-proof food packaging. Some studies have linked certain PFAS to health complications, including decreased fertility, an increased risk of some cancers, including those of the testicles, kidneys and prostate, and interference with the body's natural hormones. Pregnant women and people with high exposure to PFAS, such as those living near contaminated sites or working with the chemicals, are at higher risk of health complications from the substance. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has also raised concerns over PFAS. His department's MAHA report warning PFAS has been 'associated with a variety of health effects'. The above graph from the study shows the decline in levels of types of PFAS (PFHxS, PFOS and PFOA) in the bloodstream after participants took colesevelam for 12 weeks or did not take the drug for 12 weeks (control) In April 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a safe limit for exposure to two of the most common types of PFAS at four parts per trillion. Estimates suggest that about 172million Americans consume public drinking water that contains PFAS, particularly in the North East, South, and along the West Coast. How I changed my life to limit my exposure to cancer-causing chemicals In the study, published this month in the journal Environmental International, scientists investigated PFAS levels in people from Ronneby in southern Sweden. Between December 2022 and July 2024, in the study, scientists recruited 10 adults after sending out invitation letters to all 20 to 45-year-olds living in the town. Participants were 38 years old on average and 67 percent were female. None had high cholesterol, and so would not normally have been prescribed the drugs. Individuals in the town were unknowingly exposed to very high levels of PFAS in their drinking water after a municipal treatment plant became contaminated, leading to elevated levels in their blood and feces. The discovery was made in 2013, and the contamination was found to have been caused by aqueous film-forming foam used for decades in fire drills at the local military airfield. Officials immediately replaced the contaminated water with clean drinking water. Scientists say it takes years for elevated levels of PFAS in the body to decline. The scientists said that the drugs could be used to help remove PFAS from the body (stock image) In the first phase of the study, participants were randomized to receive either cholestyramine or no medication for one week each over a six-week period, with a one-week gap between each treatment. During the cholestyramine phase, participants took 4gram tablets twice daily and fecal and urine samples were collected throughout to measure PFAS excretion levels. Cholestyramine led to a surge in PFAS levels in feces, the scientists said, indicating the body was ridding itself of the toxins. However, scientists noted that the participants only took the drug for one week and did not have the level of PFAS in their blood monitored during this period. Additionally, the drug was discontinued after several participants reported it had a poor taste and that they were reluctant to keep taking it. But then the team then prescribed colesevelam. Participants took two 625mg tablets twice daily for 12 weeks, followed by another 12-week period with no intervention. Results showed that colesevelam led to a reduction in PFAS levels in the blood. The above graphs, also from the study, show shifts in three types of PFAS in the blood. Each line represents a participant. The thick line with triangle-shaped dots represents the 12 weeks they were taking colesevelam, and the dotted line with square-shaped dots represents the 12 weeks where they were not taking the drug Dr Axel Andersson, a researcher at the University of Gothenberg who led the study, said: 'During the 12 weeks without medication, the level of the studied PFAS substances fell by a few percent, whereas the period with [colesevelam] gave reductions of at most 40 percent for one of the PFAS substances. 'In groups with high levels of PFAS in the blood, medicines can be used to lower the levels and speed up the otherwise slow elimination, there is no doubt about that, but more research is needed to demonstrate if there are health benefits in both the short and long term of lowering the levels faster. 'It is also important to weigh the health benefits against the potential risks.' Cholestyramine has been linked to side effects including constipation, stomach pain, bloating and irritation around the rectal area. In severe cases, the drug has also been linked to unusual bleeding or bruising and severe constipation that continues to worsen. And colesevelam has been linked to side effects including constipation, nausea, indigestion and unusual tiredness or weakness. In serious cases, it has been linked to pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, and an obstruction in the intestines, in a condition that can be fatal. Share or comment on this article: Two common $1.50 medications eliminate cancer-causing 'forever chemicals' from the body Add comment
