Endocrine
Disrupting Chemicals
A substantial
number of environmental pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalates, bisphenol A, pesticides,
herbicides, alkylphenols and heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury),
have been shown to disrupt endocrine function
. (1-4)
Endocrine disrupting chemicals
can cause cancer,
diabetes, obesity,
metabolic diseases and developmental problems
(1-4).
These compounds
can cause reproductive problems by decreasing sperm count and quality,
increasing the number of testicular germ cells and causing male breast cancer,
cryptorchidism, hypospadias, miscarriages, endometriosis, impaired fertility,
irregularities of the menstrual cycle, and infertility.
(1-4)
Endocrine disrupting chemicals have endocrine
disrupting abilities in females during adult life, causing fertility
abnormalities in both humans and animals.
1.
Endocrine disrupting
chemicals
are widespread in
the environment, water, and food chain and are accumulating in fish
and wildlife as well as in the water and food chain and in people to levels
that are having significant hormonal and reproductive effects on fish
and wildlife. EDCs are causing significant
neurological
,
hormona
l
,
immune
, and
reproductive
effects on millions of
people. The endocrine system controls the body’s main functions
through supply of proper levels of hormones, and toxic endocrine disrupting
chemicals are accumulating in the hormone glands and affect hormone function
adversely at extremely low levels.
2.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals
that people and wildlife are commonly
exposed to include
POPs
like Dioxins,
Polychlorinated Biphenyls(PCBs), Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (
PAHs
),
Pesticides
,
Herbicides
,
Phthalates,
Mercury
, and
Organic solvents
(3)
a.
Health
Effects of Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fungicides
&
Pesticides Action Network
b.
U.S. EPA,
Persistent
Organic Pollutants
: A Global Issue &
c.
World Health
Organization:
Persistent
Organic Pollutants
- Impact on Child Health
i.
PFAS Chemicals in most people
PFAS
Spread on Crops
PFAS
Tap Water Contamination
j. All PFAS Pose Risk to Public Health, Should Be Treated as a Class
When
combined at low levels, some
phthalates
can act together to cause similar harm as seen with
exposure to just one
phthalate
at high levels.
Phthalate
exposures in humans has been linked to
changes in sex hormone levels, altered development of genitals, and low sperm
count and quality.
Phthalate Exposure U.S. CDC-
https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html
Great Lakes PCBs-Illinois
DPH-
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/polychlorinatedbiphenyls.htm
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412016304147
;
Consumer Products Toxics Test
Center-
https://www.ecocenter.org/healthy-stuff
Autopsies
Find Microplastics in All Major Organs
- water bottles, plastic packaging,
plastics in water, etc.
3. These chemicals
and substances are accumulating in fish and wildlife, and the number of
warnings
regarding the eating of fish and wildlife due to these is
increasing and has reached over 30% of total U.S. lakes, along with 15% of U.S.
river miles, all Great Lakes, and most bays. Studies
document that these chemicals are accumulating in fish and wildlife to levels
that are causing serious hormonal and reproductive effects in fish and wildlife
at the top of the food chain such as wading birds, alligators, Florida
panthers, minks, polar bears, seals, beluga and orca whales,
etc. Many human subpopulations with significant
exposure are experiencing major
reproductive effects
resulting in infertility and reproductive
failures.
4. The National Academy
of Sciences has indicated in a report that low levels of these chemicals such
as are commonly found in fish and wildlife are sufficient to cause
developmental effects
in infants, and that 10% of all women of reproductive age
already have body burdens sufficient to result in a high likelihood of
developmental effects. A newer
study
has found dangerous levels of mercury in
over 20% of women of childbearing age. Some of the
conditions
documented to be caused include spontaneous abortions,
birth defects
,
learning disabilities
,
ADD
,
cancer
,
immune
and autoimmune conditions,
etc.
5. For limited
informative on testing and alleviating these conditions for those who are
affected by these conditions, see (5).
References:
(1)
Environmental Mercury and Its Toxic Effects,
J Prev
Med Public Health.
2014 Mar;
47(2): 74–83.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3988285/
;
&
(b)
Possible Mechanisms of Mercury Toxicity and Cancer Promotion:
Involvement of Gap Junction Intercellular Communications and Inflammatory
Cytokines, Oxid Med Cell
Longev
,
2017;2017:7028583.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29430283/
(2) Dyer C.A. (2007) Heavy Metals as Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. In: Gore A.C. (eds) Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-59745-107-X_5 ; & (b) Toxic metals show evidence of estrogenic and carcinogenic properties. Epidemiology, 2019 Jan;30(1):20-28. 2019 Jan;30(1):20-28. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30198937/ & (c) Endocrine-disrupting metals in ambient air and female breast cancer incidence in US, Gynecol Endocrinal, 2019 Dec;35(12):1099-1102;
(3)
Exposure to endocrine
disruptors during adulthood: consequences for female fertility
, Journal of
Endocrinology, Vol 233, Issue 3, June 2017
https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/233/3/R109
;
& (b)
Developmental Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals”
Environ Heath Perspectives, V 101, No.5, Oct 1993,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1519860/
(4)
Toxic Metals,
Pesticides, Herbicides, and Other Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals,
www.myflcv.com/endoTM.html;&
(b) &
Endocrine-Disrupting
Chemicals: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement
,
Endocr
Rev.
2009 Jun; 30(4): 293–342.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2726844/
;
T
he
mechanisms of EDCs involve divergent pathways including (but not limited to)
estrogenic, antiandrogenic, thyroid, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor
γ, retinoid, and actions through other nuclear receptors; steroidogenic
enzymes; neurotransmitter receptors and systems;
Endocrine
Disruption- Pesticides & Herbicides- Beyond Pesticides Database-
&
(c)
Estrogenicity
of pyrethroid pesticides
. J
Toxicol
Environ
Health A. 2002 Oct 11;65(19):1419-35. Chen H, Wang X.,
DAMS page
or
Kids Developmental Effects
Page