17 Jan Hormone Disruptors
Dan Labriola, N.D., suggests taking a balanced personal approach to protect yourself and your family from estrogen-like compounds called hormone disrupters.
On Health
Estrogen is a remarkable hormone produced by both men and women. It is a key player in the development of the physical attributes of being a woman as well as providing body system regulation and balance for both sexes. It acts by binding to receptor sites on cell surfaces and conferring instructions to the cells.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that healthy young women reduced their risk for breast cancer by one third by taking tamoxifen, a cancer drug that blocks estrogen receptors. While this new research may provide a tool to reduce breast-cancer risk, a good thing, the notion that we need to be protected from our own hormones in a healthy population is a disturbing enigma.
We don’t know all the answers to this puzzle yet but we do know one, namely estrogens; not the ones produced in our bodies but instead estrogen-like compounds called hormone disrupters. They are found in polluted water and air, and a variety of pesticides, fertilizers, preservatives, plastics, chemical additives and heavy metals to name a few. When absorbed, they occupy the estrogen receptors on healthy cells but deliver different, frequently unpredictable programming to the cell compared to our own estrogen. The result is that the affected cells perform and reproduce in ways that were never intended.
This is not the ranting of wild-eyed extremists. There is good science implicating these risks with a number of cancers, the continuing reduction in sperm counts in men, earlier puberty in girls and interference with sexual development in boys. It affects the youngest the most.
There are two avenues available to protect ourselves. The first is political activism to encourage the federal government to do a better job of controlling these risky chemicals.
While you’re waiting for a rapid response from congress, I suggest taking a balanced personal approach to protect yourself and your family. It is neither necessary nor possible to remove all risks. You can limit your exposures, however, by finding organic foods where possible, washing all produce and reading labels on everything you eat, breathe or come in regular contact with. If there are chemicals you are not familiar with, look them up. A water-filtration system that removes heavy metals and halogens such as chlorine and a true HEPA air filter in frequented spaces such as the bedroom are good investments. Look for glass or paper packaging, and especially avoid plastic with hot foods and beverages. Detoxifying from past exposures may also be useful. For a list of hormone disrupters with scientific references see ourstolenfuture.org/basics/chemlist.htm.
Reducing exposure to chemicals that mess with Mother Nature moves you to a safer place. If a drug like tamoxifen is recommended, however, evaluate the benefits and risks with your doctor. If the benefits are worthwhile, keep in mind that, in this age of personalized medicine, side effects can frequently be reduced without interfering with the drug. Above all, an ounce of prevention is still worth much more than a pound of cure.