The 12 Worst Hormone Disruptors

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CMTA, FDN

It is an unfortunate fact that we now live in a chemical soup. We are constantly bombarded by numerous chemicals in our air, water, food, and the consumer products that we use. Many of these chemicals are endocrine (hormone) disruptors because their structure is so similar to our natural sex hormones, such as estrogen. The scary part is that there is no end to the tricks that these endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies. They may:

• increase production of certain hormones,
• decrease production of others,
• imitate hormones,
• turn one hormone into another,
• interfere with hormone signaling,
• tell cells to die prematurely,
• compete with essential nutrients,
• bind to essential hormones, and
• accumulate in organs that produce hormones.

These days, children are entering puberty at younger and younger ages. Girls are now developing breast buds at age seven or eight. Increasing evidence is linking these endocrine disrupting chemicals to asthma, autism, ADHD, breast cancer, infertility and miscarriage, Parkinson's disease, childhood cancers, and birth defects, especially in little boys. 

Chemicals affect infants and younger children more than older children and adults. As the young are developing much more rapidly, their organ systems are more sensitive. If you are an expectant mother, everything your body takes in can potentially be passed along to your developing child as many of these chemicals can cross the placenta and enter the womb.

To be practical, it is impossible to avoid every harmful chemical, however, there are ways to minimize exposure. It is, hence, helpful to familiarize yourself with the dirty dozen list of worst hormone disrupting chemicals, how they affect our bodies, where to find them, and most importantly, how to avoid them.

1. Bisphenol A, or BPA

BPA tricks the body into thinking that it is the sex hormone estrogen. So, it is no surprise that BPA has been linked to decreased sperm production in men, early puberty in girls, fertility problems in both genders, breast and other cancers, obesity, and heart disease. According to government tests, 93% of Americans have BPA in their bodies!

Where to find it:

Linings of food cans, certain plastics, and coatings of receipts printed on thermal paper.

How to avoid it:

• Choose BPA-free cans from companies such as Eden Foods, Amy's, Hain Celestial Group, Crown Prince, Native Forest, Oregon's Choice, Vital Choice, and Wild Planet. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have some BPA-free cans but not the entire line of canned foods are BPA-free yet. If in doubt, go to the company's website to check for specifics.
• Buy products that come in glass or tetra-paks.
• Avoid plastics marked with a "PC" for polycarbonate, or recycling label #7. Be aware that even BPA-free plastics typically leach other harmful chemicals that are just as bad as BPA. Always store food and beverages in glass or stainless steel. Avoid using plastic wrap, especially in the microwave.
• Say no to unnecessary receipts when shopping.

2. Dioxins

Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds such as PCBs and the pesticide DDT are known to cause cancer. Their hormone-related effects include decreased fertility, diabetes, endometriosis, immune system problems, lowered testosterone levels, miscarriages, and reduced sperm count and quality.

Where to find them:

Municipal waste incineration, as well as chemical bleaching of paper and wood pulp account for huge quantities of dioxins in the air and water. Dioxins build up in the fatty tissues of animals and are very widespread in the food supply.

How to avoid them:

It is difficult to totally avoid dioxins. Fatty meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products tend to have higher levels.

3. Atrazine

Atrazine is the second most popular herbicide in the U.S. (behind glyphosate which is the major ingredient in Roundup) and is extensively used on the majority of corn crops. Research done on frogs shows atrazine turning male frogs into female frogs that produce completely viable eggs. Research on humans shows links to breast tumors, delayed puberty, and prostate cancer.

Where to find it:

• Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables
• Drinking water contaminated with atrazine

How to avoid it:

• Buy organic produce as well as meats. 80% of U.S. corn is sold both domestically and internationally as animal feed, so the herbicide is present in the meats of the animals as well. Organic farmers are prohibited from using toxic synthetic herbicides like atrazine.
• Use a drinking water filter certified to remove atrazine.

4. Phthalates

Phthalates interfere with both male and female sex hormones, testosterone and estradiol. Studies revealed that boys born of women with high phthalate exposures suffered from abnormalities in their genitals. Studies also found that women who develop breast cancer have higher levels of phthalates than women who are cancer free.

Where to find them:

• Phthalates are used in a vast number of consumer products, including flooring, shower curtains, synthetic leather, and other products made with PVC vinyl to keep the plastic flexible.
• Any personal care products with a synthetic fragrance. Phthalates are used to keep the scent from dissipating.
• Nail polishes.
• Paints and furniture finishes. Phthalates are used to keep the materials from chipping.
• Plastic cling wraps and food containers.
• Pesticides.

How to avoid them:

• Avoid vinyl products.
• Avoid any personal care products with a synthetic fragrance. Check the ingredient labels and look for "fragrance" or phthalates.
• Always store food in glass, ceramic, or stainless steel containers.
• Buy organic.

5. Perchlorate

This chemical is a component of rocket fuel. When it gets into the body, it competes with the nutrient iodine, which the thyroid gland needs to make thyroid hormones. That means if you ingest too much perchlorate, your thyroid hormone balance can be altered. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism in adults and are critical for proper brain and organ development in infants and young children.

Where to find it:

• Perchlorate contamination exists anywhere rockets were tested, made, or taken apart, and is used in fireworks and safety flares. It washes out of soil and gets into groundwater. 
• Foods like eggs, dairy products, fruits and vegetables are likely to be contaminated with perchlorate.

How to avoid it:

• The only way to avoid perchlorate in drinking water is to install a reverse osmosis filter. However, be aware that reverse osmosis also removes all beneficial minerals in the water. You will need to add a small amount of sea salt or Himalayan salt back to the water.
• As for food, it is almost impossible to avoid perchlorate. Therefore, try to get enough iodine in the diet by eating more mercury-free fish, kelp, and grass-fed dairy products.

6. Flame retardants

These chemicals are most known for their impact on the thyroid gland and female infertility. One class of flame retardants, known as PBDEs, is believed to affect the IQ levels in children. Although many of these chemicals have been gradually phased out, the replacements being used are just as toxic.

Where to find them:

• Almost anything that contains polyurethane foam contains flame retardants. This includes, furniture, carseat padding, carpet padding, and pillows.
• Electronics like TVs, computers, cellphones, and video game consoles.

How to avoid them:

• Flame retardants bind to dust, so frequent dusting and cleaning is your best defense. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, which can cut down on toxic house dust.
• Avoid reupholstering foam furniture.
• Take care when replacing old carpet as the padding underneath may contain PBDEs.

7. Lead

It is well known that lead is toxic, especially to children. Lead harms almost every organ system in the body and has been linked to permanent brain damage, lowered IQ, hearing loss, miscarriage, premature birth, increased blood pressure, kidney damage, and nervous system problems. It also disrupts your hormones, especially those that regulate your stress response.

Where to find it:

• Very old paint is likely to be lead-based.
• Drinking water from old pipes (likely lead) in houses built before 1986. Lead is also found at highest levels in brass or chrome-plated brass faucets.
• Vinyl tile flooring may contain detectable levels of lead. Lead is used as a stabilizer that keeps vinyl from breaking down. As the material ages, lead migrates out and attaches to dust, which you inhale.
• Certain apple and grape juices. Even though pesticides with lead and arsenic were banned in the 1950s, some heavy metals still linger in the soil. Crops grown in such soil are likely to be contaminated.
• Majority of the lipsticks contain small amounts of lead, which can be a contaminant of petroleum-based ingredients.

How to avoid it:

• Keep your home clean, dust-free, and well maintained. Get rid of crumbling old paint.
• Use a good water filter that removes lead in drinking water.
• Eat organic fruits.
• Use all natural and organic lipsticks and cosmetics.

8. Arsenic

In heavy doses, arsenic kills. In smaller amounts, it causes cancer of the skin, bladder, and lung. Arsenic interferes with receptors for sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. It also affects the hormones that regulates how the body processes sugars and carbohydrates.

Where to find it:

Food and water are the main exposure sources. Arsenic was historically used in pesticides and it exists naturally in soil. In recent years, high levels of arsenic were found in rice, apple and grape juices, and factory-farmed chicken. Though arsenic is gradually being phased out, arsenic-based drugs may still be added to chicken feed in non-organic chicken farms.

How to avoid it:

• Use a water filter that is certified to remove arsenic.
• Limit rice consumption to several servings per week. Eat a variety of grains instead.
• Eat organic whole fruits instead of drinking the fruit juice.
• Buy organic chicken which are raised on arsenic-free feed.

9. Mercury

Pregnant women are the most at risk from the toxic effects of mercury as the metal is known to concentrate in the fetal brain and can interfere with brain development and impair children's IQ levels. Mercury overload is also known to cause autism in children. In addition, mercury binds to a hormone that regulates women's menstrual cycles and ovulation. Additionally, it may play a role in diabetes by damaging pancreas cells that produce insulin, which is critical for the body's ability to metabolize sugar.

Where to find it:

• Primarily found in seafood. Watch out for the sushi you eat. In general, the bigger the fish, the more mercury it accumulates.
• Mercury amalgam in tooth fillings.

How to avoid it:

• If you like eating fish, stick with low-mercury options such as wild Alaskan salmon and seafood that is low on the food chain, such as sardines, herrings, and anchovies.
• Have your mercury fillings removed by a biological dentist who is equipped to safely remove mercury fillings.

10. Perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs

PFCs are used to make non-stick cookware such as Teflon. These chemicals are so widespread that almost every American has them in their bodies. They impact thyroid function and are linked to hypothyrodism. They also cause infertility in both men and women.

Where to find them:

• Non-stick pots and pans.
• Water- and stain-repellent clothes, upholstery fabric, carpets, and backpacks.
• Also found in food packaging that repels grease, such as pizza boxes, fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, and pet food bags.

How to avoid them:

• Buy non-stick cookware made with ceramic instead of Teflon.
• Avoid anything that utilizes "Gore-Tex" or "Stainmaster". All their formulas contain PFCs. 
• If a product is water-repellant, check with the manufacturer to see if it contains PFCs.  Some have switched to polyurethane coatings, which pose fewer health problems.

11. Organophosphate pesticides

Organophosphates are one of the most commonly used class of insecticides in the U.S. Scientists developed these pesticides to target the nervous systems of insects. Many studies have linked organophosphates to effects on brain development, behavior, and fertility. They also lower testosterone and alter thyroid hormone levels.

Where to find them:

Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables

How to avoid them:

Buy organic as organic farmers are prohibited from using synthetic insecticides like organophosphates.

12. Glycol ethers

These chemicals are associated with numerous health problems, including lower sperm count and motility. Children exposed to glycol ethers have substantially more asthma and allergies.

Where to find them:

• Glycol ethers are common solvents found in paints, cleaning products, brake fluid, and cosmetics.
• Regular dry-cleaning services which use perchloroethylene (or perc, for short) as a solvent. Perc is a synthetic, volatile organic compound (VOC) that poses many health risks to humans.

How to avoid them:

• Avoid products with ingredients such as 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME).
• Switch to all natural or organic cosmetics and personal care products.
• Use biodegradable and environmentally friendly household cleaning products.
• Avoid dry-cleaning your clothes. Instead, use professional wet cleaning or liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning. Beware of other so-claimed earth-friendly, green, or organic methods which use petroleum- or silicone-based solvents.

© Carol Chuang 2014