What are environmental hormone mimics?
What are environmental hormone mimics?
Environmental hormones, which are called endocrine disruptors or hormone mimics in scientific terminology, is a generic term for chemical substances that enter the body and mimic hormones, thus disrupting the functions of hormones naturally secreted by the body.
What are hormone disruptors and hormone mimics?
When absorbed in the body, an endocrine disruptor can decrease or increase normal hormone levels (left), mimic the body’s natural hormones (middle), or alter the natural production of hormones (right).
What is hormone mimicking?
Endocrine disrupting chemicals can mimic hormones in our bodies and interfere with our own hormonal system. Endocrine disruptors can cause a range of health impacts, most notably, impacts to our reproductive systems, including feminization of males (and masculine effects on females).
What are some examples of endocrine disruptors?
These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and dixons. Other examples of endocrine disruptors include bisphenol A (BPA) from plastics, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) from pesticides, vinclozolin from fungizides, and diethylstilbestrol (DES) from pharmaceutical agents.
How can estrogen mimics be harmful?
For years, scientists have been concerned about chemicals in the environment that mimic the estrogens found in the body. In study after study, researchers have found links between these “xenoestrogens” and such problems as decreased sperm viability, ovarian dysfunction, neurodevelopmental deficits and obesity.
What is an estrogen mimic?
Estrogen mimics are artificial hormones that have a different chemical structure but behave the same as estrogen biologically. Documented effects of overexposure to estrogens in aquatic animals include delayed sexual maturity, decreased size of male reproductive anatomy, and thinner eggs.
What happens to the body when the endocrine system fails?
Without your endocrine glands — and the hormones they release — your cells wouldn’t know when to do important things. For instance, your bones wouldn’t get the message that it’s time for you to grow and get bigger.