Endocrine Disruptors

Extracted Attributes

• Sources

  Many household and industrial products, environment (air, soil, water supply), food sources, personal care products, manufactured products (cosmetics, food/beverage packaging, toys, carpet, pesticides, flame retardants).

• Definition

  Chemicals that interfere with the body's endocrine (hormonal) systems.

• Scientific Field

  Environmental Health, Endocrinology

• Alternative Names

  Hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), endocrine disrupting compounds.

• Exposure Pathways

  Inhalation, food, direct contact (skin), water.

• Regulatory Stance

  Some identified and removed (e.g., DES); ongoing debate and call for further study for others; World Health Organization states low-level exposures may cause adverse effects.

• Mechanism of Action

  Interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones; mimic, block, or interfere with hormones; act directly on glands.

• Associated Health Outcomes (General)

  Alterations in sperm quality and fertility, abnormalities in sex organs, endometriosis, early puberty, altered nervous system or immune function, certain cancers, respiratory problems, metabolic issues, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems, growth, neurological and learning disabilities.

• Associated Health Outcomes (Specific)

  Premature breast development in girls, abnormal breast development in boys (linked to lavender oil and tea tree oil); epigenetic changes in reproductive organs (linked to DES).

Timeline

• The potent drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen and endocrine disruptor, was banned in the early 1970s after being mistakenly prescribed to pregnant women and found to affect the reproductive system development of their children. (Source: Web Search)

  1970s

• The World Health Organization (WHO) published a report stating that low-level exposures to endocrine disruptors may cause adverse effects in humans. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2012

• A study revealed high levels of phthalates in popular foods from Chipotle, Wendy's, and the organic brand Annie's, highlighting food supply contamination by endocrine disruptors. (Source: Related Documents)

  Recent (implied)

• A study from the University of New Mexico detected microplastics, which act as endocrine disruptors, in human testicles. (Source: Related Documents)

  Recent (implied)

Endocrine disruptor

Endocrine disruptors, sometimes also referred to as hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals, or endocrine disrupting compounds are chemicals that can interfere with endocrine (or hormonal) systems. These disruptions can cause numerous adverse human health outcomes, including alterations in sperm quality and fertility; abnormalities in sex organs‚ endometriosis‚ early puberty‚ altered nervous system or immune function; certain cancers; respiratory problems; metabolic issues; diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular problems; growth, neurological and learning disabilities, and more. Found in many household and industrial products, endocrine disruptors "interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for development, behavior, fertility, and maintenance of homeostasis (normal cell metabolism)." Any system in the body controlled by hormones can be derailed by hormone disruptors. Specifically, endocrine disruptors may be associated with the development of learning disabilities, severe attention deficit disorder, and cognitive and brain development problems. There has been controversy over endocrine disruptors, with some groups calling for swift action by regulators to remove them from the market, and regulators and other scientists calling for further study. Some endocrine disruptors have been identified and removed from the market (for example, a drug called diethylstilbestrol), but it is uncertain whether some endocrine disruptors on the market actually harm humans and wildlife at the doses to which wildlife and humans are exposed. The World Health Organization published a 2012 report stating that low-level exposures may cause adverse effects in humans.

Web Search Results

• Endocrine Disruptors | National Institute of Environmental Health ...

  Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document ## Your Environment. Your Health. # Endocrine Disruptors Close the left navigation Endocrine disruptors are natural or man-made chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, known as the endocrine system. These chemicals are linked with many health problems in both wildlife and people. Table of Contents What is NIEHS Doing? Further Reading ### Introduction [...] 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 associated with a wide array of health issues. #### The Endocrine System [...] Puberty. Chemicals in lavender oil and tea tree oil are potential endocrine disruptors. Researchers found that persistent exposure to lavender oil products is associated with premature breast development in girls, and abnormal breast development in boys. Reproduction. DES can cause epigenetic changes, altering the way genes are turned on and off, in reproductive organs of mice. The findings provide a possible explanation for how endocrine disruptors affect fertility and reproduction.

• What Endocrine Disruptors Are and How to Avoid Them - WebMD

  Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with this system. They are also known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals or EDCs. Scientists are interested in the effects of endocrine disruptors on human health, and you can take advantage of their research to improve your health. ## What Do Endocrine Disruptors Do? Endocrine disruptors can affect the body in three main ways: [...] Skip to main content Children's Health/ Reference/ # What Are Endocrine Disruptors? Written by Susan Adcox Medically Reviewed by Renee A. Alli, MD on July 14, 2024 4 min read The endocrine system is a network of glands that produces all the hormones used by the body. In addition to well-known sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, it also secretes important hormones like insulin and adrenaline. [...] They may block the pathway between a natural hormone and a receptor. They may act directly on a gland, causing it to make too much or too little of a hormone. They may mimic a hormone, causing the body to overreact or to react at the wrong time. ## Sources of Endocrine Disruptors Endocrine disruptors can be natural or manufactured chemicals. They usually enter the body through inhalation, in food, or by direct contact. They fall into these general categories:

• Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)

  Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances in the environment (air, soil, or water supply), food sources, personal care products, and manufactured products that interfere with the normal function of your body’s endocrine system. Since EDCs come from many different sources, people are exposed in several ways, including the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. EDCs also can enter the body through the skin. Endocrine Connection [...] EDCs are chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that interfere with the way the body’s hormones work. Some EDCs act like "hormone mimics" and trick our body into thinking that they are hormones, while other EDCs block natural hormones from doing their job. Other EDCs can increase or decrease the levels of hormones in our blood by affecting how they are made, broken down, or stored in our body. Finally, other EDCs can change how sensitive our bodies are to different hormones. [...] EDCs can disrupt many different hormones, which is why they have been linked to numerous adverse human health outcomes including alterations in sperm quality and fertility, abnormalities in sex organs, endometriosis, early puberty, altered nervous system function, immune function, certain cancers, respiratory problems, metabolic issues, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems, growth, neurological and learning disabilities, and more.

• Endocrine Disruptors and Your Health fact sheet

  ~\. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ~/ Your Environment. Your Health. Brain----Pineal Hypothalamus--.P..---1C~=~· Pituitary •-~---':--Cardiovascular Mammary-~~-t...i~ Glands (Female) System Uterus (female) ~ Oviduct (female)~ ~i-----Prostate (male) Ovary (female) J ■ et------ Testis (male) Endocrine Disruptors and Your Health Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural or human-made chemicals that may mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones, which are part [...] functions. Given the variety of chemicals, it is not surprising that they can act in various ways in diferent parts of the body. Researchers have discovered that endocrine disruptors can: • Mimic, or partly mimic, naturally occurring hormones in the body like estrogens (female sex hormones), androgens (male sex hormones), and thyroid hormones, potentially leading to overstimulation. • Bind to a receptor within a cell, like a key within a lock, and block the naturally occurring hormone from [...] may cause signifcant developmental and biological efects. Diagram of many of the body's endocrine glands Used with permission. © 2015 by the Endocrine Society. How do we encounter these chemicals? Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, including some cosmetics, food and beverage packaging, toys, carpet, and pesticides. Some chemicals that act as fame retardants may also be endocrine disruptors. Contact with these chemicals may occur through air, diet, skin, and water. EDCs

• Overview of Endocrine Disruption | US EPA

  Disruption of the endocrine system can occur in various ways. Some chemicals mimic a natural hormone, fooling the body into over-responding to the stimulus (e.g., a growth hormone that results in increased muscle mass), or responding at inappropriate times (e.g., producing insulin when it is not needed). Other endocrine disruptors block the effects of a hormone from certain receptors (e.g., growth hormones required for normal development). Still others directly stimulate or inhibit the [...] One example of the devastating consequences of the exposure of developing animals, including humans, to endocrine disruptors is the case of the potent drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen. Prior to its ban in the early 1970s, doctors mistakenly prescribed DES to as many as five million pregnant women to block spontaneous abortion and promote fetal growth. It was discovered after the children went through puberty that DES affected the development of the reproductive system and