National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS is committed to studying the health effects of PFAS and advancing innovative tools that help to remove these substances from the environment.

What we eat is considered an environmental factor that influences health, in positive and negative ways. Healthy diets with an optimal balance of nutrients help people accomplish daily physical activities and mental processes.

To a tree or a flowering plant, pollen is necessary for life. But to millions of Americans, it is a source of seasonal misery.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part of the endocrine system. These chemicals are found in many everyday products, including some cosmetics, food and beverage packaging, toys, carpet, and pesticides.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease. Common symptoms are wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. During an asthma attack, the sides of the airways in lungs swell and the airways shrink, making it harder to breathe.