The endocrine system is made up of about a dozen glands throughout the body. These include the thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, thymus, pancreas, ovaries and testes, as well as pockets of tissue in other parts of the body. All of these glands and tissues secrete calibrated amounts of hormones into the blood stream. Hormones are chemical messengers that orchestrate many of the body’s internal functions — including cell growth, development and division. They also control how organs behave and handle communication between systems.

Hormone molecules or compounds travel in the bloodstream in search of other target body parts that have certain receptors on them.  If this is hard to imagine, picture this: Pretend that you are a hormone molecule (you can do it!) Now imagine that you are traveling down a hallway that has many doors on either side of it. You are holding a ring of keys in your hand and a set of instructions. Your job is to find the right key for each door. When you find a fit you are to open the door, refer to your instructions and then take the appropriate action.

This is the journey of hormones in your body. Each hormone molecule or compound acts as a key that will fit into only certain locks. Once a hormone chances upon a corresponding door and that lock is turned, this molecule-receptor complex sends a signal inside the cell to take or halt a certain action, such as to produce a specific protein or to multiply.

The endocrine system is one of the three major networking systems in the body. The others are the nervous system, with its highly specialized electrical signals, and the immune system, with its network of antibody communications. Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, melatonin, insulin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones are just a few of the primary and secondary hormones circulating in our bodies. We now realize that all of these hormones interact with each other much more than originally thought.  Highly evolved release, stimulating, and feedback mechanisms operate between all these molecules and their target organs as they circulate. Scientists are also realizing that hormone–receptor complexes are more intricately developed than previously believed. Researchers have also discovered that these complexes come in alternate forms (alpha and beta).

The significance of these findings is great. Greater hormone development and alternate hormonal forms means that there are more keys that can turn certain locks than once imagined. And as this all serves a valuable purpose in our bodies, it also makes the effects of endocrine disruption even more potentially hazardous.

What are Endocrine Disruptors?

An endocrine disruptor is a synthetic compound that mimics a natural hormone when it is absorbed by the body. It can turn on, turn off, or even change normal hormonal signals. It can have the effect of altering normal hormone levels, triggering excessive action, or completely blocking a natural response. Any other bodily function controlled by hormones can also be affected.

Manmade chemicals that are known or suspected to influence the endocrine system are everywhere. All those items that we just can’t live without and all the latest and greatest creams, sprays, and gadgets are made with the help of these artificial compounds. They make our plastic products softer and easier to handle, our lotions smoother and longer lasting, and our clothes and furnishings inflammable. They are used in clothing dye (especially denim), cars and computer casings, Teflon coatings, and disinfectant bleaches. They are diffused throughout the atmosphere by the burning of industrial waste and they leach into groundwater from landfills. What’s more, some scientists are concerned because these chemicals have a tendency to biomagnify, or increase their concentration, as they pass up the food chain.

In humans, the natural level of circulating hormones needed to orchestrate bodily functions is relatively low. Synthetic endocrine disruptors are now being found in living tissue at dramatically higher concentrations than natural hormones. A Center for Disease Control report from July 2005 found that the bodies of Americans of all ages contain an average of 148 synthetic chemicals.

But why can’t the body just neutralize these manmade chemicals? The good news is that we probably can. We have a rigorous detoxification system in place in the form of our blood, lymph, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and skin. Unfortunately, however, the pace at which new chemicals are being introduced is outdistancing our body’s ability to adapt, and this is where the problem lies. Experts estimate that 40 million pounds of hormonally active chemicals are produced in this country annually, with 2,000 new varieties introduced into the market each year. Even the healthiest person alive will have trouble filtering that kind of load.

Because they are still a relatively recent phenomenon, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the long-term effects of endocrine disruptors on the human body. Recent studies, however, are beginning to show possible connections. Research into the link between pesticides and frog deformities, fish sex reversals, and bird infertilities is well documented. How these effects play out in mammals is still up in the air. They seem to be highly individualized for each species and each individual within that species. Variables such as age at exposure, genetics, level and length of exposure, gender, and detox capability are all factors. That being said, we at Vibrant Way, as well as others in the nutritional and scientific field, suspect that the increase in chemical and medical sensitivities, childhood cancers, infertility rates, learning disabilities, autism and mood disorders relate in some way to the sea of endocrine disruptors we all swim in.

All of this information can certainly be hard to swallow. But before you buy the first ticket off this chemical-soaked planet, wait just a minute to hear the good news (yes, there is good news!) There is evidence to suggest that hormonally-active contaminants such as EDC’s do not seem to alter most people’s basic genetic blueprint, therefore making it less likely that the specific effects of EDC’s will be passed on to their children. New evidence points to epigenetic possibilities, meaning that we can pass along certain effects without actually changing our offspring’s DNA. In addition, not all genes will be expressed under all conditions – that is, some effects may only get turned on generations from now, or only under certain circumstances.

Much research has shown that phytoestrogens, such as those found in soy, are not disruptive to the natural workings of the endocrine system. This is because the human body has co-evolved over time with plants. Thus, the body has learned to moderate the impact of these natural compounds through adaptogenic responses. Some plant estrogens are naturally neutralized and others are easily excreted. Most importantly, unlike synthetic compounds and heavy metals, most natural substances do not accumulate in body tissue. The half-life of a phytoestrogen is measured in minutes, while the half-life of various synthetic compounds, like DDT, can be measured in years or even decades.

Let’s face it: the alpha-and-numeric soup that makes up synthetic chemicals can be quite confusing, even for those of us with a science background. Nevertheless, we thought we would list some of the major offenders below:

• Bisphenol–A – A synthetic substance widely used to make polycarbonated plastics found in food and drink containers, the lining of tin cans, toys, baby bottles, dental sealants, flame retardants, and plastic wraps. This chemical easily leaches out into food and water.

• Phthalates – Synthetic substances added to plastics to make them softer, more flexible and resilient. They also extend staying power. Phthalates are found in IV tubing, vinyl flooring, glues, inks, pesticides, detergents, plastic bags, food packaging, children’s toys, shower curtains, soaps, shampoos, perfumes, hair spray and nail polish.

• Parabens – Compounds used as preservatives in thousands of cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products.

• PBDE’s (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) – These are found in flame retardants, which are used on furniture, curtains, mattresses, carpets and television and computer castings. Categorized as a persistent organic pollutant, these substances are stored in animal fats and thus found in dairy products, meat, fish, and human breast milk. They have been banned in several countries and have also been detected in house dust.

• PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls) – These are another group of highly toxic synthetic chemical compounds found on the list of POP’s (Persistent Organic Pollutants). They were once used widely as insulation fluid in electrical transformers, lubricating oil in pipelines, and components of plastics and mixed with adhesives, paper, inks, paints and dyes. Since 1976, PCB’s have been banned in new products, but they are highly stable compounds that degrade very slowly, so these chemicals still persist.

• Dioxin – This is a general name applied to a group of hundreds of chemicals that are highly persistent in the environment. The most toxic compound is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, or TCDD. Dioxin is formed as an unintentional by-product of many industrial processes involving chlorine such as waste incineration, chemical and pesticide manufacturing, and pulp and paper bleaching. Small molecules are diffused into the atmosphere, then land on soil, where soil microbes eat them. From there they pass up the food chain into meat, fish, and dairy products and breast milk. We absorb 90% of the dioxin in our bodies through food sources, though you won’t find it listed on any label. Levels have been decreasing since the 1990’s because of environmental measures, but it is still probably the most prevalent toxic chemical in our environment.

• Pesticides and herbicides – In particular, atrazine, simazine, heptachlor and other organophosphates and organochlorines have been found to be toxic to the nervous system and to show damage to reproductive systems (e.g., decreasing sperm motility). They also have an effect on development.

• Heavy metals – Cadmium and arsenic are two heavy metals in widespread use that have lasting effects on human bodies. Mercury and lead are also major players with adverse effects to living beings.

Endocrine Disruptors at Work in the Body and the World

Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski and John Peterson Myers, in their book Our Stolen Future (ourstolenfuture.org), documents how synthetic chemicals are not only affecting reproduction in wildlife but are having an effect on humans as well. In addition, breast cancer activists in the early 1990’s began asking questions about these chemicals and the rising incidence of breast cancer. The answers have not come easy, but a 2006 edition of the State of the Evidence by the Breast Cancer Fund documents many connections between environmental toxins and breast cancer.

Labeling these potent chemicals as simply “disruptors” may be an understatement not only because of their ubiquitous nature but also because their effects can be quite insidious. While early on they were referred to as estrogen disruptors or xenoestrogens, science now understands that their detrimental effects are more widespread. It is now common knowledge within the scientific community that these compounds can affect thyroid function and brain development as well as reproductive potential.

Earlier, we mentioned how EDC’s affect our bodies on the cellular level. Cellular disorders can manifest even in low EDC amounts, perhaps even lower than accepted toxic levels. These chemicals can have synergistic and additive effects upon each other, and some can even cancel others out. In most cases, however, small amounts two different EDC’s mixed together, as in many pesticides, greatly multiplies the harmful effects.

Timing is also a critical factor in exposure to EDC’s. Many of the compounds are lipidophilic – they like fat and tend to accumulate in fat tissue. They are not easily detoxified or cleansed from the body and thus are stored up over decades, particularly in women’s bodies (we just have more fat naturally). In addition, these contaminants can be transferred across the placenta to a growing fetus. There is a critical window of time for fetal reproductive development as well as for the development of behavioral, nervous and immune systems. If EDC’s are present, they are going to have an effect that will last as the fetus develops.

No one likes to single women out, especially mothers. We shoulder enough responsibility in our society as it is! The fact is, however, that mothers must be extra vigilant in minimizing their exposure to these toxins when pregnant. Gestational exposure for the fetus is a critical time, perhaps even more important than the entire lifetime of exposure before a woman gets pregnant. A woman’s tissues and breast milk are like a warehouse for all the synthetic compounds she has ever been exposed to. It is a tragedy that women are often unaware of this exposure and thus do not avoid these ever-present chemicals in their environment.

So…if you are still reading thus far, good for you!  The info up to this point might have been tough to hear, but remember – knowledge is power! And you have made it through the hardest part. Now we are more than ready to hear some good news. And there is a lot of it! The first step in fixing any problem is to understand that there is a problem. The second step is to do something about it.

Information leads to action. Let’s take a look about what is being done to minimize or eliminate the effects of endocrine disruptors in the world today – and how you can reduce them for yourself, your family and your community.

Does anyone care about EDC’s?

The feds, big business, citizen action groups – everyone is getting on the ball these days and spreading the word about the dangers of EDC’s. And that is a very good thing!

For decades, scientists have been quantifying and analyzing the impact of chemicals on living organisms, and they have known for many years about the man-made chemicals on the market that are harmful to both small and large life forms. Unfortunately, countless more chemicals have never been thoroughly tested for human safety, and we simply cannot assume that because a chemical has been approved for use that it is necessarily “safe.” Yet, the research continues.  Even in the midst of severe budget cuts, the federal government continues to fund research into the effects of these industrial pollutants. Check out the Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov) and the National Toxicology Program (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov) for more information. There is still uncertainty about the exact causes and effects on humans of these chemicals, and, as mentioned before, studying the effects of these chemicals on human beings presents unique challenges. Comparisons with effects on animals are helpful but not perfect. Dosage levels, exposure times, and combinations of toxins make research work complicated, but the fact that it continues despite the obstacles is a step in the right direction.

Risk management programs so far have only just gotten started, with some states being more progressive than others. The European Union is perhaps the most progressive in taking action on identifying and reducing the most offensive agents. In June 2005, over 100 research scientists actively involved in research on endocrine disrupters from 15 countries around the world issued a joint statement raising concerns about endocrine disruption:

“In view of the magnitude of the potential risks associated with endocrine disrupters, we strongly believe that scientific uncertainty should not delay precautionary action on reducing the exposures to and the risks from endocrine disrupters.”
(For the entire report see the Prague Declaration on Endocrine Disruption at www.ourstolenfuture.org/Consensus/2005-0620praguedeclaration.htm).

Furthermore, in the research world, recently developed biomonitoring techniques have become available for sampling human tissues and fluids. These methods help us to gain a better sense of our body burden, or the amount of stress our detoxification systems are under due to the presence of these chemicals in our bodies. This has helped to land the issue of endocrine disruptors on the radar screen of the mainstream media and the political arena. Both Health Canada in that country and the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S. are conducting biomonitoring testing programs. Biomonitoring, however, is quite expensive and has not been standardized.  It also only measures exposure to a chemical. It cannot describe the full effects and consequences of specific amounts of chemicals. A direct link from a dose of one chemical to particular diseases or conditions can rarely be made. Most researchers have neither the time nor the desire to test them on each other. Nor would they ethically expose fetuses or young children to different doses of toxic chemicals in order to watch them over their lifetime.

We are also realizing that an individual’s DNA and genes make an important contribution to EDC effects. This is known as individual susceptibility. Some people show no effect from exposure while others are extremely sensitive. Of course, most of us lie somewhere in between.

For the most part, scientists are left to make assumptions about the specific effects of EDC’s on humans based on animal and lab data. Many are questioning prior assumptions and seeing that endocrine disruptors not only affect estrogen receptors but also all of the signaling mechanisms that make our bodies function. It’s no wonder that so many scientists are alarmed.

But how does all this affect your health on a day-to-day basis? And, for women, how does it affect perimenopause, menopause and hormone balance? We can only conjecture at this point. However, we at Vibrant Way concur with many other researchers and scientists who feel that endocrine disruptors have to make a significant contribution to the severity of hormonal symptoms that so many perimenopausal and menopausal women are experiencing in modern times.

You can do something!

For yourself and your family...


1. Make wise food choices. Eat organically as much as possible, and watch animal fat and fish consumption. Because endocrine disruptors and heavy metals magnify in the food chain, the higher your protein source, the greater the potential toxic load. Large, deep-water “fatty” fish like tuna may contain high levels of synthetic chemicals and heavy metals, so eat them in moderation. For specific advice on consumption, see the DHHS/EPA advisory.


2. If it’s not organic, use the “pick and choose” method. Certain crops are more heavily sprayed than others. Data on the worst offenders vary, but the following twelve fruits and veggies are among those with the highest pesticide residues: peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming, or peel them if they are not organically grown. We recommend a fruit wash, but you can also use diluted soap or vinegar in a pinch.


3. Take a wide–spectrum daily multivitamin with essential fatty acids.  Daily use of a solid multi-vitamin will ensure rich nutrition and support your body’s optimal functioning. In today’s world, taking vitamins is no longer a recommendation, it’s a mandate. Unfortunately, much of our food supply is contaminated and lacks the necessary nutrients, even if you think you eat well. You must equip your body with the essential tools it needs to do its job, particularly when it must do battle every day with so many toxins. Supplements are a big part of this line of defense. 


4. Support detoxification by exercising and sweating on a regular basis. Try a gentle detox program a few times a year. Use a sauna or steam bath. Get regular sleep (you detoxify at night) and drink plenty of filtered water. If you are on a lot of medication, it could influence your body’s ability to detox, so be sure to check with your medical practitioner before beginning any detox program.


5. Eat plenty of fiber and take a daily probiotic.  And make sure the probiotic is either bifidobacteria and/or an Acidophilus strain in the billions. Certain foods and beverages like green tea contain flavonoids, which help the body rid itself of toxins. Pomegranate juice, blueberries, and red wine are also good choices – but be cautious of drug interactions. And remember, everything in moderation!


6. If you are planning on getting pregnant and breastfeeding, be vigilant about chemicals. Don’t worry about what you can’t control. As you learn more, you will be empowered to put that knowledge into action. Right now, just put your energy into becoming the healthiest, brightest, most energetic human being you can be!


7. Investigate the chemicals in your cosmetics, bug spray, lotions and toiletries. Visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website for a list of chemical-free alternatives.


8. Know your water supply. Find out whether your local community’s water testing program checks for hormone-disrupting chemicals and heavy metals. In addition, not all household filters work effectively on all chemicals. And unfortunately, not all bottled water is checked for toxicity or leaching either. Read your water quality reports. If you drink purified water out of plastic bottles, do not leave the bottles in your car or in the hot sun for any length of time; heat activates the molecules in the plastic, which increases the rate at which polycarbons leach into the water.


For your community...


9. Go Green! You can do this by using safer, greener household products. Newer products have undergone substantial improvements, are more attractive and more affordable, and perform just as well if not better than many conventional name-brand products. Some may be a bit more expensive so if you are on a budget, try using baking soda and/or vinegar instead (they are great for windows and shower scum!) Also check out the many great websites that offer advice on green cleaning. Annie B. Bond’s Home Enlightenment and Debra Dadd’s List are just a couple. Both women have been called the “Queen of Green” and also have books on the subject. Open your windows to air the house out instead of spraying air freshener or using PlugIns. Avoid unnecessary uses and exposures while gardening, cleaning, and removing rubbish this spring and summer. Remember that all your trash, fertilizer, and wastewater goes back into the ground – there simply is no flushing it away when it comes to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Look for “green” lawn products and garden services. If you swim or own a hot tub, pick a facility or service that uses non-chlorine based disinfectants.


10. Avoid using plastics.


For the future...


11. Never doubt the power of consumer demand! Exercise your rights as a consumer. Ask for green products when you don’t see them in your neighborhood stores. If you have a talent for organizing and recruiting people, use it to develop community ordinances regarding the use of chemicals in public places. It took us a while to legislate no-smoking areas; hopefully “chemical-free” will not be that far away. Encourage the youth in your city or town to learn more about environmental issues and to pursue research into redesigning their future.


12. Get politically active. Support local and federal clean air and water initiatives. Write to your local and state representatives and encourage them to vote for a healthy future. Support elected officials who make a clean environment their priority. The National Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group are two public watchdogs that can help you get informed about upcoming debates and legislation.

In conclusion

NNo one can live in a bubble these days. In this era of high-tech, fast everything and new and shiny gadgets around every corner, there is no regressing back to a pre-WWII lifestyle. Yet at the same time, we who live in the early 21st century are faced with the very real and urgent challenge of redesigning the future. We must ensure that our environment is safer and healthier for this generation and the ones to come. The full effects of endocrine disruptors are still a long way from being fully understood.  During the last few decades, however, there can be no denying that we are witnessing a spike in infertility rates, autism, chronic disease, childhood cancers, chemical sensitivities, allergies and ADHD. While it may be too early to state definitively that endocrine disruptors are the primary source of these problems, the evidence does seem to point to a clear, consistent connection that simply cannot be denied. Most experts agree that the experiment is still in play. No one knows how long it will take for us to finish making our hypothesis or come to our conclusions, but common sense and basic awareness tells us that something in our chemically-infested world is markedly out of balance.

The game isn’t over yet – and that is actually a good thing! It means we can still influence the outcome. We need to find better, safer, more clever ways to continue to progress and advance – ways that work with nature, not against it. Humans are an amazing species; we can socially adapt and learn at a breathtaking pace – it just takes the know-how, the leadership, and the commitment to grow and evolve.

And the best way to begin is by implementing changes in our own lives. When you start with yourself and your loved ones, not only will you feel better, but your actions also may have a ripple effect throughout your community.

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