Are You Poisoning Your Hormones?

By Gayle Arnold, CHHC

Our endocrine system or hormone system is comprised of glands located throughout our body, hormones made by the glands released into the bloodstream or fluid surrounding cells, and hormone receptors located in various organs and tissues that recognize and respond to the hormones.

Hormones are released into the bloodstream to carry chemical messages to matching receptors. The hormones act as keys to unlock the receptors to receive instructions to either alter the cell's existing proteins, or turn on genes to build a new protein. These actions create reactions throughout the body.

Hormones are also released from other organs, such as the stomach, intestines or nerve cells, and act closer to where they are released.

Our endocrine system can be disrupted by chemicals, both natural and man-made, that interfere with the function of the hormonal system.

Endocrine disruptors are molecules of a chemical substance causing hormonal interference between cells that can alter the function(s) of the endocrine system, causing harm.

When an endocrine disruptor enters the system, it attaches to a hormone receptor. The hormone then tries to unlock the receptor, and the disruptor is in the lock of the receptor. The hormone, can't unlock the receptor, and will then look for another receptor to unlock. This results in the body counting too many hormones.

Endocrine disruptors can wreak havoc on our bodies by

Increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others

Imitating hormones

Turning one hormone into another

Interfering with hormone signaling

Telling cells to die prematurely

Competing with essential nutrients

Binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones

An environmental research and lobbying group, The Environmental Working Group, has created a document that lists the 12 worst hormone disruptors entitled Dirty Dozen List of Endocrine Disruptors.

There is evidence that even low doses of exposure to these chemicals can have adverse effects.