Endocrine Disruptors and Chronic Disease

Paul A. Goldberg MPH, DC, DACBN, DCBCN
Founder and Consultant to The Goldberg Tener Clinic
Chronic Disease Reversal 

Our endocrine system is comprised of a series of glands that produce and secrete hormones which serve as critical messengers and regulators of body function. Good health is impossible without their optimal input. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune problems/rheumatoid diseases, chronic depression, digestive disorders and other chronic illnesses begin with endocrine system dys-regulation.

A growing threat to health and glandular function are the multitude of disruptive, toxic influences on hormonal balance termed endocrine disruptors that occur both through numerous unrecognized exposures and due to ill-advised behaviors. Our work with patients at the Goldberg Tener Clinic, since 1976, as well as research dating back over forty years has shown critical relationships between Endocrine Disruptors and the development of a multitude of chronic disease conditions…conditions which are commonly reversible if we uncover them early enough and appropriately address them.

Hormones of the endocrine system instruct the body what to do and when to do it… twenty-four hours per day. Endocrine glands are designed to work and harmonize like players in a Jazz Band. Each member of the band works in communication with the others to produce music. If one is out of tune the sound of the entire band suffers. So goes the endocrine system… if one gland is disturbed, weakened or overly stimulated by endocrine disruptors or other stressors, the other glands will be impaired and chronic disease can occur.

Under the right conditions, the glandular network harmoniously regulates the digestive, cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems. When disturbances take place due to endocrine disruptors the detrimental effects on the body can produce a wide array of damage leading to the “diagnosis” of autoimmune, rheumatoid, digestive, neurological, dermatological, nutritional imbalances, cardiovascular and other issues. Medical and Alternative Medical physicians often suppress symptoms of ill health caused by endocrine disruptors with drugs, including exogenous hormones, without directing attention to the source(s) of the disease issue.

Components of the Endocrine System:

• The Pineal Gland- Releases melatonin
• Pituitary Gland- Referred to as the master gland. Releases eight hormones which trigger other glands to release their hormones.
• Thyroid Gland- Butterfly shaped gland that controls basic metabolism/energy/heat production and mood.
• Parathyroid Glands- adjacent to the thyroid the four glands release parathyroid hormone which controls mineral balance in the blood and in turn regulates muscle contraction, relaxation and bone health.
• Adrenal Glands- Sitting atop each kidney they regulate the stress response and influence blood sugar levels.
• The Hypothalamus- links the endocrine and nervous systems. Makes oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine and somatostatin.
• Pancreas- Both an organ and a gland, the pancreas influences digestion through the production of digestive enzymes and blood sugar levels by the release of insulin and glucagon.
• Ovaries- Produce and store eggs. Make sex hormones that control the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
• Testicles- Produce sex hormones and sperm. Influence strength and male characteristics.

My interest in the Endocrine System began as a young man in the 1970’s diagnosed with Rheumatoid Disease and grew further as I studied Epidemiology, Chronic Disease Control and Toxicology at the University of Texas Medical Center. It became clear to me that exposure to heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and other toxic exposures (see article “Environmental Toxins and Chronic Disease”), including pharmaceuticals e.g. birth control pills, hormone replacements such as Synthroid (“see article “The Misuse of Thyroid Hormone Replacement”), fertility drugs, and “bio-identical hormones” (see article “Bio-Identical Hormone: Quick Fix or Slippery Slope?”), often have a highly detrimental effect on the body as a whole and the endocrine system in particular.

What Are Endocrine Disruptors

An endocrine-disrupting compound, as per the Environmental Protection Agency, is “an exogenous agent that interferes with the synthesis, secretion, transport, metabolism, binding action or elimination of natural blood-borne hormones present in the body responsible for homeostasis, reproduction, and developmental processes.” An endocrine-disrupting substance is a compound, natural or synthetic, which alters hormonal systems.

The Endocrine System

Endocrine hormones act as signaling molecules. Minor disruptions in those levels cause significant biological effects. Endocrine disruptors come from the air, water, soil, the food supply and common medical prescriptions given to patients tens of thousands of times each day.

How Do We Encounter These Chemicals?

Endocrine disruptors are found in numerous products including cosmetics, food and beverage packaging, toys, carpet and pesticides. By discovering the sources/ types of endocrine disruptors through laboratory testing, we can identify environmental sources and take steps to reduce/eliminate exposure.

Chemicals That May Disrupt Your Endocrine System

The following are a few examples of common chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors and are among those we test patients for at The Goldberg Tener Clinic.

• Atrazine– Common herbicide used to control weeds.
• Bisphenol A (BPA) Used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins used in food packaging, toys and the lining of some canned foods.
• Dioxins a byproduct of herbicide manufacturing and paper bleaching.
• Perchlorate, a salt is used to make rockets, explosives, and fireworks that can leach into the groundwater.
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals used in firefighting foam, nonstick pans, paper, and textile coatings.
• Phthalates – liquid plasticizers found in food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances, children’s toys, and medical devices. Cosmetics that can contain phthalates include nail polish, hair spray, aftershave lotion, cleanser, and shampoo.
• Phytoestrogens are substances with hormone-like activity found in some plants; they may have a similar effect to estrogen produced by the body for example some soy foods contain phytoestrogens.
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are used to make flame retardants.
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used to make electrical equipment lubricants, and plasticizers. Banned in 1979 but are still present in the environment.
• Exogenous hormones including estrogens and related hormones taken in birth control pills, hormonal replacement, bio-identical hormones and thyroid hormone replacements.

Even low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals can pose serious health hazards that are often causative in ominous medical diagnoses patients receive. They are rarely identified in medical and alternative medical practices leading to prescription drugs and therapies that ignore causes and lead to ongoing chronic disease with complications.

When we are exposed to an endocrine disruptor it can decrease or increase normal hormone levels by mimicking the body’s natural hormones or blocking the natural production of hormones.

Endocrine Disruptors and Your Health

Awareness of endocrine disruptors began with studies on the endocrine-disrupting effects of the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) which, through the 1970s, was used to treat women with high-risk pregnancies.  In 1972, prenatal exposure to DES was linked to the development of a form of vaginal cancer in daughters whose mothers took DES.

Exposure to endocrine disruptors occurs through drinking contaminated water, breathing contaminated air, ingesting food or contacting contaminated soil. People who work with pesticides, fungicides, and industrial chemicals are at particularly high risk for exposure and thus for developing an endocrine abnormality. Endocrine disruptors, however, are found throughout our homes, workplaces and general environment so the general population is also susceptible to ongoing exposures currently.

These substances do not decay easily and can be metabolized or broken down into more toxic compounds. Substances that were banned decades ago remain in high levels in the environment and can be detected as part of the body burden of virtually every tested individual animal or human [1],[2]. Some endocrine disruptors are still detectable in so-called “pristine” environments at remote distances from the site they were produced, used or released.

In 2000, the National Institute of Health / National Toxicology Program (NTP)[1] concluded there was credible evidence that very low doses of endocrine disruptors adversely affect bodily functions. Links have been discovered between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and numerous disease conditions including the following:

1. ADHD – Researchers reported in JAMA that ordinary exposure to certain phthalates was associated with ADHD-related behaviors in adolescence.[2]
2. Autoimmune Disorders – researchers have proven that endocrine disruptors e.g.  bisphenol A (BPA), phthalate, tetrachlorodibenzodioxin and others affect human immune function and promote the development of autoimmune diseases[3]
3. Metabolic Issues – Exposure to arsenic and other toxic heavy metals can disrupt metabolism, increasing the risk of diabetes and other disorders such as thyroid dysfunction.[4],[5]
4. Cancer- Numerous cancers including breast and testicular cancer have related to endocrine disruptors[6],[7]
5. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)– PCOS has been related to several endocrine disruptors including some that interfere with glucose metabolism [8]
6. Fibroids-Uterine Leiomyomas – benign smooth muscle tumors of the myometrium that can cause morbidity for women, including menorrhagia, abdominal pain, pelvic prolapse, and infertility and miscarriage[9]
7. Endometriosis- an estrogen-dependent gynecological disorder associated with pelvic pain and infertility. It occurs in 6–10% of women and up to 50% of women with pelvic pain and infertility. [10]
8. Prostate Cancer- the most common solid cancer in males and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. In addition, benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common benign neoplasm, occurring in approximately 50% of all men by the age of 60. Due to the hormonal basis of this disease and the evidence that dietary compounds high in phytoestrogens (e.g., genistein) can control prostate cancer growth in humans, there is reasonable cause to evaluate and understand any potential relationship between environmental endocrine disruptors and prostate cancer risk.[11]
9. Thyroid Disorders- Numerous industrial chemicals have been shown to reduce circulating levels of thyroid hormone leading to physicians prescribing thyroid hormone replacement. This in turn leads to degradation of the thyroid gland fact patients are frequently not informed about by the prescribing physician. It has been our experience that a low functioning thyroid can frequently be corrected and brought back to normal function by identification of causes such as poor nutrition, emotional stress and endocrine disruptors. There are many industrial chemicals that interfere with thyroid function by acting on different points of regulation of thyroid hormone synthesis, release, transport through the blood, metabolism of thyroid hormone, and thyroid hormone clearance.[1]
10. Obesity- defined as body fat greater than 25% in men or greater than 30% in women, is a significant human health crisis and a primary cause of cancer. More than 30% of adults in the United States are defined as clinically obese. The prevalence of obesity has risen dramatically in wealthy developed countries, and it is also on the rise in poor nations. The rise in the incidence in obesity matches the rise in the use and distribution of industrial chemicals suggesting that EDCs may be linked to this epidemic.[2]
11. Cardiovascular Disease- The cardiovascular system is a target of environmental chemicals that interfere with intracellular signaling of hormonal and inflammatory pathways contributing to the development of heart disease.[3]
12. Diabetes- Based on the links between endocrine disruptors and disturbances of reproduction, metabolism, and links to cancer, a connection between endocrine disruptors and diabetes as well as pre-diabetic disturbances is thought to exist. Epidemiological studies have linked high dioxin levels with increased risk for diabetes and other forms of altered glucose metabolism[4]
13. Osteoporosis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8352419/.

Avoiding Common Endocrine Disruptors

1. Avoid Plastics When Possible: Our world is filled with plastics. Most plastic food containers contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, even products that do not contain BPA.⁹ There are a few simple steps you can begin to avoid these hazards:
   -Keep plastic out of the microwave and hot cars.
   -Switch to glass storage containers for leftover food.
   -Switch to metal or glass water bottles instead of plastic.
   -Switch to wax paper or parchment paper instead of plastic wrap.
2. Go Fragrance-Free: Fragrances are no longer found in perfume bottles alone, but in a vast number of products we use every day. Most fragrances contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
3. Caution Regarding Products That Promise “Ease”: Whether ease in your life means non-stick cookware or stain-resistant carpet and furniture, these tiny luxuries can be hefty sources of endocrine disruptors.¹¹
4. Home Water Purification: Most people have heard that city water contains fluoride, but it also contains substances ranging from hormones to Prozac. There are regulations in place, but nobody is quite certain what represents a “safe” exposure level to some of these substances. A reverse osmosis system combined with filtration is helpful in this regard.
5. Clean Cleanly: The products many people use to “clean” their homes introduce a number of EDCs at the same time. Try seeing how much of your home you can clean with baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Also, skip the antibacterial soaps in the kitchen and instead use plain soap and water.
6. Proceed with Caution Using Exogenous Hormones: Examine the risks carefully prior to taking hormone replacement therapies, fertility drugs, bio-identical hormones and other hormonal endocrine disruptors.

Summary

Endocrine disruptors are involved as causes of diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cancer, cardiovascular disease as well as other chronic disease conditions including autoimmune/rheumatoid and gastrointestinal disorders. At the Goldberg Tener Clinic, we make identifying the Endocrine Disruptors involved in our patient’s chronic health disorders a priority. Removing endocrine disruptors has served our patients well in helping to reverse chronic disease conditions, restoring health and helping patients take better control of their health destinies.

More Articles by The Goldberg Tener Clinic

1) Reversing Autoimmune Disorders
2) Reversing Chronic Skin Conditions
3) An Effective, Causal Based Approach to Digestive Problems
4) Reversing Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Rheumatoid Conditions
5) Reversing Thyroid Conditions
6) Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO): A Symptom of Impaired Health
7) Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meaningless Diagnosis
8) The Facade of Functional and Alternative Medicine
9) An Effective, Comprehensive Approach to Reversing Allergies
10) You have been misled… the way to lose weight is NOT trying to lose weight.
11) Click here to see our full library of articles.

References

[1] Calafat AM, Needham LL 2007 Human exposures and body burdens of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In: Gore AC, ed. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: from basic research to clinical practice. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 253–268

[2] Porte C, Janer G, Lorusso LC, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Cajaraville MP, Fossi MC, Canesi L 2006 Endocrine disruptors in marine organisms: approaches and perspectives. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 143:303–315 [PubMed]

[3] https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov

[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32857150/

[5] Environmental Research Volume 231, Part 2, 15 August 2023, 116222 Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and autoimmune diseases

[6] Biol Trace Elem Res2023 Dec 14.doi: 10.1007/s12011-023-03988-3

[7]  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34090316/

[8] https://www.endocrine.org/topics/edc/what-edcs-are/common-edcs/cancer#:~:text=Several%20studies%20have%20demonstrated%20that,increased%20risk%20of%20breast%20cancer.

[9] Sharpe RM, Skakkebaek NE 1993 Are oestrogens involved in falling sperm counts and disorders of the male reproductive tract? Lancet 341:1392–1395 [PubMed]

[10] Legro RS, Azziz R, Giudice L 2006 A twenty-first century research agenda for polycystic ovary syndrome. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 20:331–336 [PubMed]

[11] https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(16)62720-6/pdf#:~:text=Developmental%20exposure%20to%20endocrine%2Ddisrupting,uterine%20fibroid%20(UF)%20development.

[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36436816/

[13] Endocrine Disrupters and Prostate Cancer Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb; 23(3): 1216. Published online 2022 Jan 21. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031216

[14] Brucker-Davis F 1998 Effects of environmental synthetic chemicals on thyroid function. Thyroid 8:827–856 [PubMed]

[15] Newbold RR, Padilla-Banks E, Snyder RJ, Phillips TM, Jefferson WN 2007 Developmental exposure to endocrine disruptors and the obesity epidemic. Reprod Toxicol 23:290–296 [PMC free article] [PubMed]

[16] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32438096/

[17] Remillard RB, Bunce NJ 2002 Linking dioxins to diabetes: epidemiology and biologic plausibility. Environ Health Perspect 110:853–858 [PMC free article] [PubMed]