Endocrine Disruptors: What Are They? How Do I Avoid Them?

You’re diligently staying hydrated, which is fantastic! But now it’s time to step it up a notch and ditch the plastic bottles…and the lurking endocrine disruptors they bring along.

Endocrine disruptors, whether they occur naturally or are human-made substances, intrude upon our body’s endocrine system. Since this system governs hormone and cell signaling, it can potentially lead to detrimental developmental, neurological, immune, and reproductive consequences.

Maybe you’ve heard of the term BPA before? Bisphenol A is notorious for tampering with hormones and mimicking estrogen’s effects in the body, inducing hormonal imbalances. BPA has been associated with a litany of health issues, including insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, liver damage, ADHD, infertility in both men and women, and altered gene expression.

But here’s the kicker: Being BPA-free doesn’t guarantee safety from plastic’s health hazards.

A study published in Environmental Health indicates that almost all plastics, including BPA- and phthalate-free products, release chemicals with estrogenic activity. Bisphenol S (BPS) and triphenyl phosphate (TPP) are two chemicals often found in BPA-free products. Items containing these chemicals have been marketed as “safe” alternatives to BPA-containing plastics, but it turns out that BPS has endocrine-disrupting effects that are very similar to BPA, and TPP is even more estrogenic than BPA.

Our endocrine system consists of glands that release hormones. Once released, those hormones act like chemical messenger that travel throughout our body, bind to target receptors on certain cells and cause predictable cellular change.

Endocrine disruptors imitate our natural hormones and end up binding to receptors, consequently altering hormone production, transport, binding, and breakdown. They are incredibly stable, resisting easy breakdown (which is why manufacturers use them in products), and they linger in our bodies for extended periods.

When our hormonal systems are altered, it can lead to disrupted metabolism, immune function, bone health, mental well-being, impaired testicular function, conversion of cholesterol to steroid hormones, oxidative stress, promotion of obesity, and more.

We’re exposed to a cocktail of endocrine disruptors every day, often without realizing it.

They lurk in our plastic bottles, possibly within your carpet, and most likely in your drugstore beauty products. They also infiltrate food packaging, shower curtains, cleaning supplies, children’s toys, canned food, and, yes, even BPA-free water bottles. In essence, we’re constantly bombarded by hormonal manipulators. They’re everywhere.

In fact, the CDC has found over 92% of people tested, including newborns, have detectable levels of BPA and other plastic chemicals in their bodies.

Yikes!

The good news? We can control most of our exposure.

Research finds that BPA, phthalates and other plastics have harmful effects at both high and very low doses. Given the above evidence, I recommend trying to avoid all kinds of plastic, even ones labeled as BPA-free.

Consider going plastic-free on your next water bottle purchase. But, remember: No matter what nutritional or lifestyle changes you’re here to make, you have to get better at making a change in the first place if you want those changes to stick.

One realistic step at a time. 

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