We already have too many reasons to minimize our exposure to hormone disruptors and thankfully there are several ways we can do that. But now, our understanding about hormone disruptors has grown and so has the need to avoid them asap.

Sadly, it took decades of scientific and political “fights” to establish the fact that hormone disruptors truly disrupt hormones. (Read here what hormone disruptors are and where they are found) Thousands of pages are dedicated in scientific studies proving this (now) well- known scientific fact. The key question is how do they do that and – even more important- how can we protect ourselves and our families??

Hormone disruptors 101

We thought that the toxic behavior of hormone disruptors in our body centers around the fact that they function like fake hormones, usually estrogen. The constant and ubiquitous presence of hormone-like substances in the body contradicts in every way the precise and carefully-orchestrated way our own hormones work.

This is still believed to be one of the most toxic effects of hormone disruptors, linked intimately with hormone-sensitive health conditions, like breast cancer and fertility problems. It is a fact that the frequency of this kind of health conditions has skyrocketed in the last decades. The Endocrine Society, in their official statements about hormone disruptors states that it is the ubiquitous presence (and therefore exposure) of hormone disrupting chemicals in thousands of consumer products that is (at least partially) responsible for this crazy rise in hormone – sensitive health conditions (Read here> 2009 + 2015 statements). As of 2023, we know that women use on average 13 beauty and personal care products daily – two categories of products heavily contaminated with cocktails of toxic chemicals –, which means that exposure is multiple, cumulative and chronic.

Scientists also found out that that hormone disruptors can bind to the same cell receptors that real estrogen (the one our body makes) does. These toxic chemicals compete with our very own hormones for the specific slots they need to lock in, so that they can do their job. As you can understand, this situation, prevents the body’s own estrogen to participate in the cellular functions it is supposed to be, when it should be. The carefully- timed, hormone- controlled body functions, cannot possibly proceed in the right place and the right time, due to the continuous and ubiquitous presence of chemicals that behave like hormones.

Hormone disruptors and the brain – part 1

Now we know a lot more about the way hormone disruptors harm our health. It turns out that several of these chemical substances can cross they blood-brain barrier and affect the brain directly. This is actually one of the sneakiest ways they disrupt hormone balance in the body – by altering the functions of brain areas responsible for hormone balance… This is the case of hypothalamus, a brain region of immense physiological importance which regulates most major functions of the human body, like metabolism, sleep and reproduction, among (many) others.

Scientific research shows that exposure to hormone disruptors causes hypothalamic inflammation. This means that the hypothalamus cannot control and regulate hormones as it would normally do. The Master hormone control center of the body is compromised.

In order to understand the significance of hypothalamus and therefore the importance of the fact that this organ becomes inflamed by hormone disruptors, let’s see what medical science says about it.  

5       key points about hypothalamus

1. It’s a structure really deep in the brain and the main link between the hormone (endocrine) and nervous system
2. It is responsible for keeping the body in a state of internal balance – called homeostasis
3. Helps manage your body temperature, hunger and thirst, mood, sex drive, blood pressure, body temperature, stress responses and sleep.
4. The production of almost ALL hormones in the body is regulated by the hypothalamus. This includes the hormone (gonadotropic hormone), which is responsible for the maturation and function of reproductive organs, meaning that it controls fertility too.
5. Influences sleep, arousal and alert state and acts as a biologic clock

Effects of hormone disruptors

We get a decent idea of the importance of hypothalamus. It is like a central control switch for the human body. Hormone disruptors, cross the blood-brain barrier and reach this area, deep into our brain – which is scary to start with. And then, hypothalamic inflammation is not a small thing, neither is the fact that hormone disruptors actually can reach and harm the very organ regulating almost everything in the human body.

The effects of hormone disruptors are too extensive and diverse, affecting multiple systems in our body. This fact supports the finding that hormone disruptors affect the Master Control center of the human body – the Hypothalamus. To get an idea, here is a basic list of the effects of hormone disruptors, according to the US Environmental Agency and the World Health Organization.

• developmental malformations in babies and newborns
• obesity & diabetes
• fertility problems and infertility
• increased cancer risk – especially hormone sensitive cancers (breast, ovary, testicular cancer)
• thyroid problems
• cardiovascular health problems

The earlier the exposure to hormone disruptors, the more serious and irreversible are the health effects, which puts unborn babies (through pregnant mothers), infants and young children in the highest risk population groups.

Hormone disruptors and the brain – Part 2

Hormone disruptor exposure isn’t just linked to hormone-sensitive conditions / functions, like fertility, metabolism and cancer. There is evidence that hormone disruptors cause brain damage in a different way, especially when exposure happens in early and/or intrauterine life, when the brain and the nervous system is practically under construction and normal development is interrupted and bypassed. During these sensitive developmental windows, toxic effects become embedded in the biology of the child from the very beginning. In other words, the structure and functions of the brain (and other tissues) follow an alternative path. Understandably, this allows for little room to change or improve later in life. In real life, this diverted neurological development may show up as neurological issues that affect behavior, learning abilities, psychological resilience etc. According to scientific literature, exposure to hormone disruptors early in life is associated with the following issues>

• Learning difficulties
• ADHD
• Behavioral problems, i.e aggressive behavior
• increased risk for psychiatric conditions and addiction

Conclusions

1. Hormone balance is the cornerstone of human biology. Most body functions rely entirely or partially to hormone interactions/activation/ deactivation etc. These are processes carefully-timed and strictly controlled, unlike the ubiquitous, non-stop presence of hormone disruptors. Hormones are fundamental for health at all levels> emotional, psychological, physical and mental.
2. Hormone disruptors don’t simply behave like fake hormones in the body or compete with our own hormones for the same cell receptors. They also reach and harm the brain directly, sabotaging regulation of hormone production centrally, because they cause inflammation to the brain area controlling the most fundamental body functions> the Hypothalamus.
3. The earlier the exposure to hormone disruptors, they more irreversible results are, because the brain is created under toxic influences, which affect the way the brain (and other tissues) are created, develop and function in the long run.
4. Minimizing exposure to hormone disruptors is a MUST for everyone, but is absolutely fundamental for pregnant women, babies and children through adolescence. Check out this article, for practical & meaningful steps to reduce exposure to hormone disruptors.

Author

Eleni Roumeliotou MSc

Human Molecular Geneticis and Environmental Toxins

CEO & Founder ATUA LAB