10 Sources of Endocrine Disruptors & How to Avoid Them

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that are so similar to a specific hormone that they bind to the body’s hormone receptor sites. Your body “sees” these chemicals as hormones, which they are not.

One of the biggest concerns in this department are estrogen mimickers. Hormone mimickers interfere with development and reproduction. They can cause serious neurological and immune system effects.

Your normal hormone levels may be altered, or the chemicals may change the way such hormones travel through your body.

Endocrine Disruptors Linked to Cancer, ADHD & More:

In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report co-produced with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The report was one of the most comprehensive reports on endocrine-disrupting chemicals to date.

The report revealed a wide variety of health problems associated with exposure to these pervasive chemicals, including:

1. Non-descended testes in young males
2. Developmental effects on the nervous system in children
3. Prostate cancer in men
4. Developmental effects on the nervous system in children
5. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children
6. Thyroid cancer

Children & Pregnant Women Are Most at Risk, But Damage Can Show Up Decades Later:

he greatest risks appear to come from exposure during prenatal or early postnatal development, which is when organs and neural systems are forming.

Some of the effects, however, may not show up until decades later. Adult diseases may actually have fetal origins.

One of the most disturbing examples of this came from diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen drug that was widely prescribed to pregnant women prior to the 1970s in order to help prevent miscarriage and promote fetal growth. This endocrine disruptor turned out to be incredibly dangerous and caused problems with reproductive development and vaginal cancer that appeared after puberty.

10 Common Sources of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals:

How often are you likely to be exposed to these toxic chemicals? Probably far more often than you think.

According to Thomas Zoeller, a biology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who specializes in how chemicals affect the endocrine system, there are an estimated 800-1,000 endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the market.

Epoch Times recently compiled 10 common sources of endocrine disruptors, as well as what you can do about them:

1. Personal Care Products - Shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, cosmetics, and other personal care products often contain endocrine disruptors, including (but certainly not limited to) phthalates. Phthalates are a group of “gender-bending” chemicals causing males of many species to become more female.

These chemicals have disrupted the endocrine systems of wildlife, causing testicular cancer, genital deformations, low sperm counts, and infertility in a number of species, including polar bears, deer, whales, and otters, just to name a few.

2. Drinking Water - Your drinking water may be contaminated with atrazine, arsenic, and perchlorate, all of which may disrupt your endocrine system. Filtering your water, both at your tap and your shower/bath, using a high-quality water filtration system can help protect you and your family.

3. Canned Foods - In an analysis of 252 canned food brands, 78 are still using bisphenol-A (BPA) in their canned goods, even though it’s a known endocrine disruptor. BPA has been linked to a number of health concerns in pregnant women, fetuses, young children and adults.

4. Conventionally Grown Produce - Pesticides, herbicides, and industrial runoff may coat your conventionally grown fruits and vegetables in endocrine-disrupting chemicals. As much as possible, buy and eat organic produce and free-range, organic foods to reduce your exposure to endocrine-disrupting pesticides and fertilizers.

5. CAFO Meat, Poultry, and Dairy Products - Animals raised on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) also typically contain antibiotics, hormones and other industrial chemicals that may disrupt your endocrine system. Look for animal products that are free-range, organic and raised on small, local farms that avoid the use of such chemicals.

6. High-Mercury Fish - Fish contaminated with high levels of mercury and other heavy metals are problematic because such metals also disrupt hormonal balance. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin and tilefish are among the worst offenders here, but even tuna has been found to be contaminated with dangerously high levels. Farmed fish (the “CAFOS of the sea”) also tend to be higher in contaminants and are better off avoided. When eating seafood, smaller fish like sardines, anchovies, and herring tend to be low in contaminants and high in omega-3 fats.

7. Kitchen Products - Plastic containers and non-stick cookware common in many kitchens are another type of hazards. The plastic containers may contain BPA or other endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can leach into your food, especially if the plastic is heated. Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used to create non-stick, stain-resistant, and water-repellant surfaces are also toxic and highly persistent, both in your body and in the environment.

8. Cleaning Products - Commercial solutions used to clean your floors, toilets, oven, windows, and more typically contain industrial chemicals that may throw your hormones out of whack. For instance, nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), a common ingredient in laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners, is banned in Europe and known to be a potent endocrine disrupter, causing male fish to transform into females. It’s surprisingly easy to create your own cleaning products at home using different combinations of vinegar, baking soda, essential oils and even coconut oil.

9. Office Products - Ink cartridges, toner, and other solvents common in office environments are another common source of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Handle such products with care and minimize your exposure as much as possible.

10. Cash Register Receipts - Thermal paper has a coating that turns black when heat is applied (the printer in a cash register applies heat to the paper, allowing it to print numbers and letters). It also contains BPA and research shows that handling this type of paper is enough to increase your bodily levels.

More Tips to Reduce Your Chemical Exposure at Home:

Implementing the following measures will help you avoid the worst endocrine-disrupting culprits as well as other chemicals from a wide variety of sources.

1. As much as possible, buy and eat organic produce and free-range, organic meats to reduce your exposure to added hormones, pesticides, and fertilizers. Also avoid milk and other dairy products that contain the genetically engineered recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST).

2. Rather than eating conventional or farm-raised fish, which are often heavily contaminated with PCBs and mercury, supplement with a high-quality purified krill oil, or eat smaller fish or fish that is wild-caught and lab tested for purity. Wild caught Alaskan salmon is about the only fish I eat for these reasons.

3. Buy products that come in glass bottles or jars rather than plastic or canned, since chemicals can leach out of plastics and into the contents.

4. Store your food and beverages in glass rather than plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap.

5. Use glass baby bottles and avoid plastic sippy cups for your little ones.

6. Eat mostly raw, fresh foods. Processed, prepackaged foods (of all kinds) are a common source of chemicals such as BPA and phthalates.

7. Replace your non-stick pots and pans with ceramic or glass cookware.

8. Filter your tap water, both for drinking and bathing.

9. Look for products that are made by companies that are earth-friendly, animal-friendly, green, non-toxic, and/or 100% organic.

10. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to remove house dust, which is often contaminated with traces of chemicals.

11. When buying new products such as furniture, mattresses or carpet padding, ask what type of fire retardant it contains. Be mindful of and/or avoid items containing PBDEs, antimony, formaldehyde, boric acid, and other brominated chemicals

12. Avoid stain- and water-resistant clothing, furniture, and carpets to avoid perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs).

13. Minimize your use of plastic baby and child toys, opting for those made of natural wood or fabric instead.

14. Only use natural cleaning products in your home or make your own.

15. Switch over to organic brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants, and cosmetics.

16. Replace feminine hygiene products like tampons and sanitary pads with safer alternatives.

17. Avoid artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, or other synthetic fragrances.

18. Look for products that are fragrance-free.

19. Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric.

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