What are Endocrine Disruptors?
Endocrine disruptors are naturally occurring compounds or man-made chemicals that may interfere with the production or activity of hormones of the endocrine system leading to adverse health effects. Many of these chemicals have been linked with developmental, reproductive, neural, immune, and other problems in wildlife and laboratory animals. Some scientists think these chemicals also are adversely affecting human health in similar ways resulting in declined fertility and increased incidences or progression of some diseases including endometriosis and cancers. These chemicals have also been referred to as endocrine modulators, environmental hormones, and endocrine active compounds. Environmental chemicals with estrogenic activity are probably the most well studied however chemicals with anti-estrogen, androgen, anti-androgen, progesterone, or thyroid-like activity have also been identified.
