Hey ladies. Welcome back to the blog. This week we’re gonna discuss a super enthralling subject matter—endocrine disrupters. This is a term that’s thrown around quite often, whether that be in the media, research, or shit you hear now and again. So today I want to dive into what exactly endocrine disrupters are, where they can be found, the ways they impact both our health and the environment in which we live, and lastly some tangible tips for limiting your exposure to endocrine disrupters.
As a bit of background information, innovation and technological advancement in the chemical industry have led to the development of over 100,000 new molecules, many of which are known or suspected endocrine disrupters. These molecules are present in everyday objects such as clothing, food, furniture, air, and water. Not good. But, what exactly does this mean?
What are endocrine disruptors?
An endocrine disrupter is a substance that alters the functions of your endocrine system and can cause negative health consequences. They change the way our hormones (the body’s chemical messengers) function. Our bodies are complex, but in simple terms, hormones help our organs communicate with one another for our bodies to function properly. Our hormones are incredibly important because they control growth processes, support organ development, and regulate our appetite, sleep, body temperature, and mood. Endocrine disrupters then affect all these vital processes and functions.
Endocrine disrupters work by interfering with the production process of hormones, mimicking the actions of hormones, and blocking the hormone function by taking its place on a receptor. It is through these mechanisms that endocrine disrupters can negatively impact reproductive health, metabolism, and nervous system function.
Where are endocrine disruptors found?
Endocrine disrupters are hidden in plain sight and are used in the manufacturing of many everyday objects such as food and food packaging, kitchen appliances, medication, cleaning and hygiene products, furniture, and other household items. This unfortunately means we can be exposed to these endocrine disrupters at high volumes without being necessarily aware of it. For example, pesticides used on fruits and vegetables we consume, food additives (such as BHA and BHT), and contaminated tap water can expose our bodies to endocrine disrupters.
Endocrine disrupters can also enter the body through food contaminated by plastic or containers containing phthalates, paper or cardboard packages, and nonstick cookware containing perfluorinated compounds that migrate into the food we consume.
How do endocrine disruptors affect human health?
Endocrine disrupters harm the human body in more ways than one, with the most profound negative consequences being cancer, developmental disorders, obesity and diabetes, and reproductive problems. Endocrine disrupters are linked to hormone-dependent cancers such as blood, ovarian, prostate, testicular, and thyroid cancer. Endocrine disrupters also interfere with thyroid function, which is essential for brain development during the early stages of life, which in turn affects a child’s cognitive abilities.
While obesity and diabetes may be thought of as simply a direct cause of unhealthy eating and low activity levels, there is a bit more at play here. For example, our hormones regulate hunger, fullness, and metabolism. If those processes are interfered with by changing hormonal function caused by endocrine disrupters, the likelihood of obesity is increased. Further, insulin regulation and secretion can be affected by endocrine disrupters which then leads to insulin resistance and increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. These changes can even happen in the prenatal stages of life which can predispose individuals to obesity. This serves as further evidence that obesity is influenced by a variety of factors other than diet and activity, some of which are predetermined before birth.
The reproductive system is also largely impacted by endocrine disrupters. This is commonly seen as decreased fertility and disruptions during the process of puberty, reproductive organ malformations, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Those most vulnerable to the negative health effects of endocrine disrupters are mothers, fetuses, those in early childhood, and those going through puberty. This is because these are the times our bodies are changing most. Tissues and organs are developing, and hormones are undergoing major change. Being aware of exposure to endocrine disrupters during these stages of life is therefore extremely important.
Can low doses of endocrine disruptors still impact health?
Absolutely. Small doses of endocrine disrupters can still poorly affect human health. In some instances, low doses can actually cause more harm than high doses. A study that explores the relationship between BPA and tumor growth using rodents has illustrated this fact. The results of the study showed tumor development at low and moderate levels of exposure and impact diminishing at high levels of exposure. Essentially the most harmful effects were due to intermediate doses, and once that level of exposure is hit, health consequences don’t worsen if exposure levels increase past that level.
A similar study on mice was done to observe how phthalates affect their behavior. Negative effects were found on behavior at low levels of exposure but not at high levels. Lastly, a study on tadpoles found that moderate doses of perfluorinated compounds disrupted healthy hormone function, but not high doses. While these studies were done on rodents and amphibians, and they may not be an accurate illustration of human health, they can still be beneficial when it comes to drawing inferences.
Does a combination of endocrine disruptors cause more harm than just one?
Yes. Endocrine disrupters become even more toxic when combined. This combination effect so to speak, brings to our awareness how the current means of risk assessment may be faulty. This is because only one molecule is evaluated for toxicity at a time and in a real-world scenario, we are typically exposed to a variety of substances together, with their effects on health widely unknown. Unfortunately studying every possible combination of substances for their adverse effects on hormone function isn’t exactly feasible.
However, there have been several studies done to evaluate the combination effect of endocrine disrupters. One study found that overexposure to a mixture of toxic substances during pregnancy negatively affects brain function and language in children.
How do endocrine disruptors affect the environment?
Just as endocrine disrupters make their way into food and household items, they can also make their way into the environment and affect the health of all living organisms. All living creatures have hormones which is why they can all be affected by these chemicals. For example, pesticides can contaminate water, air, and soil which have contact with almost all living creatures. There have been several accounts of animal anomalies in nature due to the harmful effects of endocrine disrupters. Pollution for example has been shown to impact animals on a physiological level.
DDT, an insecticide, is one endocrine disrupter known to have a large impact on the environment. Where this chemical has been widely spread, there have been accounts of physiological changes and negative health outcomes for both aquatic and land animals. Two examples of this have been higher mortality rates in birds and reproductive issues in alligators leading to a decline in their populations. Fortunately, DDT has been banned in most countries, including the United States. Another chemical of environmental concern is DEHP, which even at low doses can be extremely harmful. As of 2017, this chemical has been classified as a very high concern in the EU. While I’ve only mentioned two examples here, there are hundreds of persistent everyday endocrine disrupters that negatively impact the environment around us.
Regulation of endocrine disruptors
In our current system, endocrine disrupters are poorly regulated as there is not an official list of these chemicals and therefore, it is not required to test any food or household items for these chemicals. The most progress for change concerning endocrine disrupters and their health consequences has been happening in Europe. For example, in France, a list of concerning chemicals has been drafted as well as a strategy to accelerate the identification of these substances so plans to ban their use can be fast-tracked. However, even in the EU, there are gaps and areas for improvement when it comes to banning endocrine disrupters. More must be done all around the world, especially in the U.S. to guarantee the safety of consumers.
How can I avoid endocrine disruptors?
In today’s world, the avoidance of all endocrine disrupters is nearly impossible, and will likely stay that way until policies and regulations are implemented to ban these substances. However, there are actions we can take to limit our exposure. Listed below are actionable steps to reduce your exposure to endocrine disrupters:
- Use glass materials for storing food
- Don’t reheat food in plastic wrap or containers
- Buy organically grown produce
- Limit foods stored in plastic packages and processed foods with harmful additives.
- Use ceramic or cast iron pots and pans rather than non-stick
- Buy and use cleaning products with natural ingredients
- Avoid cosmetic products containing preservatives like paraben and substitute these for organic cosmetic products
- Purchase hygienic products (such as tampons, pads, etc.) made from organic cotton
- Vacuum regularly—indoor pollution can increase exposure to endocrine disrupters
- Avoid using aerosols
- Clean new fabrics that you purchase (such as curtains, bedding, rugs, etc.)
- Buy furniture made from untreated natural materials if possible and avoid purchasing furniture made of plywood or PVC (these materials typically contain glues and plastics that can release harmful chemicals into your home)
- Wash new clothing before wearing
- Scan cosmetic and cleaning products on EWG before purchase
Closing:
Thank you guys so much for reading. A lot of this information I found on Yuka’s website. I found their blog super informative and they discuss a lot of important topics involving public health. I’ll link their blog here if you ever want to check that out. Other than that, just make simple adjustments when possible to limit your exposure to endocrine disrupters. The tips listed above can help you do that!
Alright then. Same time next week or what?
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