Is malathion an “endocrine disruptor”?
“Endocrine disruptors” are chemicals that interfere with endocrine system function. The endocrine system consists of glands that produce hormones that act together to guide development, growth, reproduction and behavior, and to maintain normal organ function. Our knowledge of the relationship between exposure and endocrine system effects is still developing. Some chemicals that act like the hormone estrogen (for example, DES) have been reported to cause long-term effects in mice born to mothers who ingested low levels during pregnancy. This area of research is the subject of intense scientific inquiry. Effects on some endocrine glands and changes in some hormone levels were reported in laboratory animals given repeated oral doses of malathion. The amount of malathion given to animals in these studies, however, exceeds the amount humans are likely to contact from the spraying of malathion.
