Endocrine disruptors are natural or synthetic compounds that, due to their presence in the environment or their inappropriate exposure to the body, disrupt the endocrine system.
Endocrine System
The endocrine system is the set of glands and organs that synthesize hormones and release them into the blood so that they reach all the organs of the body. Hormones act as an inter-tissue communication system and control multiple life functions like growth, metabolism, immunity, and reproduction.
The body's exposure to these disruptors affects the functioning of the endocrine system by either stimulating it, inhibiting it, blocking it, or mimicking the response to hormones, creating hormonal imbalances.
Effects on the Body
Disruptors can act at very low doses and they accumulate in the body. Furthermore, exposure to these substances is most damaging in critical periods like the prenatal and early postnatal periods. Effects of exposure during the perinatal period may not show up until much later in life, and they may even be passed on to subsequent generations through epigenetic changes.
The harmful effects of these compounds on the reproductive system have been widely demonstrated. Alterations in the female reproductive system, such as early puberty, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids have been found to be related to exposure to these chemicals. Also associated with exposure to endocrine disruptors are things like reduced female fertility and fecundity, due to disturbances in the endocrine processes that regulate the female's cycle and pregnancy.
In animal species, the harmful effect of these chemical products on the reproductive system has been confirmed, causing population declines.
Endocrine Disruptors
These compounds surround us and are part of our daily lives. We can find endocrine disruptors in pesticides, household objects made of plastic, insecticides, and even in food, personal hygiene, and cleaning products. The list of substances that have been shown to interfere with the endocrine system is very long: dioxins, parabens, phthalates, bisphenols, DDT, and phytoestrogens – among others.
The main recommendation is to reduce the use of these substances and try to replace products containing disruptors with safer alternatives.
