What to Know About Endocrine Disruptors

Did you know that there are certain chemicals found in everyday products that could be affecting your health? In recent years, more and more studies have been performed to learn more about endocrine disruptors, or chemicals that can interfere with your hormones. Here’s what you need to know about endocrine disruption and how it can affect your body.

What Are Endocrine Disruptors?

An endocrine disruptor is a substance or mixture created outside of the body that changes the function of the endocrine system. Your endocrine system works alongside other systems in your body to help it grow and develop in a normal, healthy way throughout your life. It is made up of glands and organs that create, store, and release hormones.

Endocrine disruptor effects. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with your endocrine system and its normal functions. They can cause the body to start processes at the wrong time or cause irreversible changes within it. Endocrine disruptors can do several things, like:

• Increase or decrease the production of certain hormones in your body
• Imitate your body’s natural hormones
• Interfere with hormone signals
• Turn one hormone into another one
• Build up in the organs that create hormones
• Signal certain cells to die prematurely
• Bind to essential hormones inside your body
• Compete with the essential nutrients your body needs to function

Endocrine disruptors interfere with natural hormone functions in both animals and humans. Research has shown that EDCs can affect reproduction and cause developmental malformations. They can also affect other systems in the body, like the nervous system and the immune system, and the functions they need to perform to keep you healthy.

Where Are Endocrine Disruptors Found?

The scary thing about endocrine disruptors is that they can be found in lots of everyday products you may have around your house. You can come into contact with these chemicals in a number of ways, including through the air you breathe and the water you drink. You may also absorb EDCs through contact with your skin when you touch or use certain products.

Currently, we know that there are almost 85,000 human-made chemicals in the world, and only 1 percent of them have been studied for safety. Humans come into contact with many of these chemicals every day. It’s believed that more than 1,000 of these chemicals have endocrine disruption properties and can be classified as EDCs.

Endocrine disruptor examples. Some common endocrine disruptors can be found around your home. These include:

• Bisphenol A (BPA): A chemical used to make polycarbonate plastics and resins in plastic products. BPA may be in items like food storage containers or cans used for canned food. This endocrine disruptor’s effects include early puberty, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
• Phthalates: Chemicals that make plastic products more flexible. They can be found in food packaging, toys, cosmetics, fragrances, and even medical devices.
• Brominated flame retardants (BFRs): Chemicals that reduce flammability. These chemicals are known to affect thyroid function, which is important in the development of babies and children. BFRs are used in materials to make clothing, mattresses, and furniture.
• Pesticides: Most notably, atrazine and glyphosate. These pesticides are dangerous for plants, animals, and humans, and it’s been shown that male frogs exposed to these chemicals can actually become chemically castrated. In humans, pesticides and herbicides are linked to obesity, behavioral disorders, and cognitive disorders. Atrazine is known to affect the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
• PFAs: Groups of chemicals used in industrial applications, like non-stick pan coatings and firefighting foam.
• Phytoestrogens: Naturally occurring chemicals in plants that have hormone-simulating activity. These can be found in soy products that you ingest, like soy milk or tofu.
• Triclosan: An endocrine disruptor found in personal care products, including liquid soaps and body wash.