Ask TreeHugger: What is an Endocrine Disruptor?
by Helen Suh MacIntosh, Cambridge, MA, USA on 11.18.07
Question: I realize that we are exposed to all types of chemicals everyday, many that we are unaware of and some which are unavoidable currently. My particular concern is of endocrine disruptor's and their effects on developing kids. I know for conventional produce there is a dirty dozen list to avoid, is there something similar for products or sources of endocrine disruptor's ...
What are the five largest exposure sources for endocrine disruptor's in our daily lives?
Any help or information would be great, thanks for being a great resource.
Response: The endocrine system specifically includes organs, such as the pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, adrenals, ovaries and the testes, that release hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones, of which there are many different types, act as chemical messengers in humans and in animals, telling the body how to behave – for example, growth hormone tells the body to build muscle mass.
Endocrine disruptors are any chemical – man-made or natural -- that disrupts the normal balance of these hormones, with particular focus on estrogen, which is secreted by the ovaries that regulates menstruation, fertility, and fetal development, androgens, including testosterone secreted by the testes, and thyroid hormones. Disruption can occur when a chemical mimics or blocks one of these hormone’s actions or causes the hormone to be over or underproduced. By doing so, this disruption can cause the body to act or a fetus to develop in ways that are not normal or desired. For example, scientific studies have shown that certain chemicals can disrupt endocrine function and through this disruption, can result in physical abnormalities, infertility, or cancer (breast, prostate and testicular).
These effects have been shown mostly in animals. Scientific studies have specifically identified only a few chemicals as known endocrine disruptors in humans, including the drug diethylstilbesterol (or DES), and the chemicals DDT, PCBs, and dioxin. Although these chemicals are no longer in use today, PCBs and dioxin especially can still be found in the air, water, food and dirt, causing concerns over their endocrine disrupting effects to remain as well.
Laboratory studies of animals have also identified a growing list of commonly used chemicals as suspected endocrine disruptors. This list includes many pesticides (such as 2,4-D, aldicarb, benomyl), as well as several chemicals used in plastics (such as alkyl phenols, bisphenol A, and phthalates) and certain heavy metals (such as cadmium, mercury, and lead). Whether these and other chemicals also have endocrine disrupting effects in humans is not known, but is the subject of much research. The US Environmental Protection Agency has developed a two-tiered screening and testing process to test chemicals for their possible endocrine disrupting effects in humans and is beginning to test chemicals – initially 73 pesticide-related chemicals – for their possible endocrine disrupting effects. The results of this testing are not yet known, but if successful will likely result in testing of additional chemicals.
More detailed information about endocrine disruptors and the EPA screening system can be found here. Or, if you prefer, information on the European perspective on endocrine disruptors can be found here.
Previous Ask Treehugger columns can be found here.
Helen Suh MacIntosh is a professor in environmental health at Harvard University and studies how pollution behaves in the environment and how it affects people's health. Please keep in mind that her answers are just her interpretation of available information and should not be taken as the only viewpoint or solution to a problem. Use this column at your own risk. Having said this, please feel free to post any of your environmental health questions to Helen@TreeHugger.com. (Please use a descriptive email subject line and mention if you want to remain anonymous or not).
While endocrine disrupters are a potentially serious problem, it's been clear for some time that they are not the likely cause of multi-limbed deformed frogs like you show in your lead. Instead, infectious parasites called trematodes appear to be the culprit.
See:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/284/5415/731
for more details.
It should also be noted that a number of foods and food additives have endocrine system disruptive properties, not just industrial chemicals.
Soy is one such food additive due to its phytoestrogenic content.
Another problem are endocrine disruptors exuded from common plastics, these and other harmful effects are why a number of health publications are calling for a boycott/ban of plastics types 3, 6, and 7 in any food or beverage related capacity.
In addition to the chemicals leaching out of plastics which caused us to launch www.thinkbabybottles.com and www.thinksportbottles.com, cosmetics are a frightening source of estrogenic activity ( EA). While working for a lab funded by the National Institute of Health, we tested a myriad of common consumer products. The levels of EA found in cosmetics far surpassed any group tested. I have also reviewed data on common sunscreens, and the amount of EA was also alarmingly high. Hopefully the good work by the folks at the Breast Cancer Fund and EWG will continue to bring awareness to this issue. We hope there are firms out there that are starting to focus on solving for these equations.
ofcourse we human (especially gals/women) do have this problem causing hormone imbalances. one of the common problem that most women in India are trying to deal with is PCOD - I strongly feel that environmental factors and exposure to such toxic chemicals along with stress has induced this condition. Besides in India, DDT is still being used - although it is meant to be banned. At some point, we are humans are being effected through slowly toxity.
Another source of endocrine disrupting chemicals that I didn't notice mentioned above is sportfish. Fish are known bioacculumators of various toxins (PCBs, Dioxins, etc...). Here in Ontario, Canada, our government produces consumption guidelines for fish caught from various lakes and rivers. I know that the US produces similar guidelines as well. In particular, women of childbearing age and children under the age of 15 are urged to limit the intake of certain fish species and size ranges. Fatty fish, such as swordfish, whole tuna and some others, should be avoided due to many toxins being lipophilic, meaning they are absorbed by fat. A recent concern with respect to fish consumption is the presence of estrogen mimicking chemicals. Recent research from the University of Pittsburg has shown that extracts from catfish caught near industrial sites has the potential to stimulate growth in estrogen-sensitive cells, suggesting accumulation of estrogen-like materials in these fish.
Another source of endocrine disrupting chemicals that I didn't notice mentioned above is sportfish. Fish are known bioacculumators of various toxins (PCBs, Dioxins, etc...). Here in Ontario, Canada, our government produces consumption guidelines for fish caught from various lakes and rivers. I know that the US produces similar guidelines as well. In particular, women of childbearing age and children under the age of 15 are urged to limit the intake of certain fish species and size ranges. Fatty fish, such as swordfish, whole tuna and some others, should be avoided due to many toxins being lipophilic, meaning they are absorbed by fat. A recent concern with respect to fish consumption is the presence of estrogen mimicking chemicals. Recent research from the University of Pittsburg has shown that extracts from catfish caught near industrial sites has the potential to stimulate growth in estrogen-sensitive cells, suggesting accumulation of estrogen-like materials in these fish.