What are Endocrine (Hormone) Disruptors?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at 10:27AM Also known as hormone interruptors, endocrine disruptors are foreign invaders to the body that either minic hormone actions and/or interfere with them. Copy from this reference is below. ref ref
"Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides."
Since hormone disruptors are so prevalent, the question is, Can Vitamins prevent their adverse actions?
PHTHALATE PLASTICIZERS
Plastics are everywhere. Water bottles to baby pacifiers. article Bags of blood are made of PVC plastic since when stored in glass, red blood cells die off faster. The chemicals known as plasticizers, added to plastic to keep it pliable and prevent cracking, migrate into the bagged blood at a rate of 20-30% by weight. The effects of these chemicals long term are under intense study. In animals they are carcinogenic and interfere with normal growth and development. In Humans, it is not as clear.
Perhaps this next example should be enough for the precautionary approach to limit the use of plastics, but evidently not, or maybe this story is not widely known, or even not viewed as a problem. ref Puerto Rican young girls mature at a younger age than anywhere else. 68% have higher levels of plasticizers. The increasing problem of lowering fertility rates may or may not be linked to plasticizers. Cancers are increasing while heart disease rates are reducing. Something is driving this change.
Reader Comments (1)
If the number one multi-vitamin product, MultiPro 32X, mentioned by the above website is their idea of a best buy, run as far as you can away from this website. Three major faults with the formula are: 1. Synthetic beta carotene, 2. synthetic vitamin E, 3. Includes iron, a very reactive element that should only be consumed separately if needed and verified by a blood test. Obviously pregnant women would follow Doctors's advice. Food sources are preferred since nature builds in buffering elements to protect the body from iron oxidizing activities and free radical generation. Here is a good website for info: http://www.healthy.net/Health/Essay/Dangers_of_Iron_Supplements/68