Endocrine Disruptors: What They Are, Health Effects, and How to Reduce Exposure

What are endocrine disruptors and how do they affect our health? Learn about their effects on the body, main exposure sources, and effective measures to reduce risk.

[This text was originally written by Alicia Abellán in 2020 and updated in October 2023 by researcher Nuria Güil]

What are endocrine disruptors?

Our bodies contain hormones—molecules responsible for signaling and communication between cells and organs. They are essential for the proper functioning of many bodily processes. Endocrine disruptors (or EDCs) are chemical substances capable of mimicking our natural hormones. They can also block hormone receptors on cells, preventing hormones from functioning normally. This disrupts the endocrine system.

Is "endocrine disruptors" the same as "hormone disruptors"?

“Hormone disruptors” is a less scientific and less precise term but it refers to the same group of chemicals. The endocrine system includes not only hormones but also glands (such as the thyroid or adrenal glands) and cellular receptors that regulate essential functions like growth, metabolism, sleep, and reproduction.

Where are they found?

The list of hormonal disruptors is long. Over 1,000 chemical substances with this disruptive capability have been identified. We are continuously exposed to them—though in low doses. They can enter our bodies through skin contact, ingestion (food), or inhalation. They can cross the placenta and reach the fetus, and can also be found in breast milk. Some EDCs, known as persistent compounds—like certain pesticides—can remain in the body for up to ten years. Others, such as parabens or bisphenols, are non-persistent and stay in the body for only hours or days.

So, where are endocrine disruptors found?

Everyday products

• Packaged food, non-stick pans and pots, cleaning products, and even paper and bamboo straws marketed as biodegradable. They may contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “eternal chemicals” due to their long degradation times (up to thousands of years). PFAS are extremely water- and oil-repellent and resistant to extreme temperatures.
• Furniture, plastics, textiles, and electronics with flame retardants. These are added during manufacturing to reduce flammability. These chemicals can migrate into the environment and accumulate in indoor dust and air.
• Metal cans for food and beverages, plastic bottles and containers. Many contain the well-known bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used phenol.
• Everyday cosmetic products. Many contain parabens, another type of phenol that acts as an endocrine disruptor.
• Hygiene products like toothpaste, hand sanitizers, and deodorants. Many contain triclosan, another phenol.
• Sunscreens and cosmetic products with UV filters. Most use benzophenones, another class of phenols.
• Cosmetics, perfumes, paints, and plastic packaging. Many contain phthalates. Heating food in plastic containers promotes the migration of phthalates into food. Fast food consumption has been linked to higher levels of these chemicals. Some studies also associate prenatal exposure to specific phthalates with slightly earlier puberty.

Environmental sources

• Tuna, swordfish or shark, shellfish and crustaceans. Heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic are present in the environment and accumulate in many animals we eat—particularly predatory fish and shellfish.
• Toxic legacy compounds, such as the DDT pesticide, which—despite being banned in the 1970s—remain in ecosystems and accumulate in animal fat, entering the human food chain. Current pesticides, such as widely used organophosphates, are also a concern.

Due to their widespread presence in our daily environment, exposure to hormonal disruptors is common and continuous. Studies in large populations have found many of these chemicals in biological samples from over 95% of participants.

How do they affect human health?

Hormonal systems affected

Endocrine disruptors can interfere not only with the endocrine system but also with other vital bodily systems and functions. Thus, depending on their structure, they may cause adverse effects on respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, cognitive, reproductive, and developmental health—from prenatal stages through adulthood.

Vulnerable life stages

Given their ability to cross the placenta and appear in breast milk, fetuses and breastfeeding infants can be exposed to endocrine disruptors. Exposure during these critical development periods is especially significant, as the body is more vulnerable to environmental factors at these stages. Disruptions may impair proper development and have lasting health effects, such as poorer lung function in childhood, altered growth trajectories, or higher risk of childhood metabolic syndrome.

How to reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors?

No need to panic. Our health isn’t determined solely by exposure to endocrine disruptors. Still, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking is important.

Lifestyle changes

You can make mindful choices in everyday consumption to reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors. For example:

• Avoid heating food in plastic containers—use glass or ceramic instead.
• Ventilate indoor spaces and clean dust thoroughly.
• Use non-stick-free cookware: ceramic, cast iron, or stainless steel.
• Choose stainless steel or glass bottles.
• Avoid cosmetics containing parabens, benzophenones, triclosan, or phthalates.
• Limit intake of processed and canned foods.
• Reduce consumption of animal-derived products.
• Buy organic, local produce and wash it well.

Label interpretation and regulations

Currently, there is no global consensus on regulating endocrine disruptors. Their diverse toxicity profiles and variety make setting a safe exposure threshold challenging.

In Europe, regulation of these compounds has been under scrutiny for years despite industry pressure. The European Commission has recognized them as potentially harmful to health and has called for a comprehensive study to improve regulations in the coming years and minimize human and environmental exposure to hormonal disruptors.

Examples of endocrine disruptors

What does the scientific evidence say?

We still do not fully understand the health effects of most of these compounds. Several animal and human studies have linked them to an increased risk of certain cancers, obesity, infertility, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, asthma, and neurodevelopmental problems. The economic impact in the European Union alone is estimated to exceed €160 billion annually.

One notable characteristic of endocrine disruptors is that they do not follow the usual dose-response pattern. In other words, higher doses do not always mean stronger effects. This is called a "non-monotonic dose-response" relationship.

Some studies have found stronger effects at low doses that disappear at higher doses. Moreover, in daily life, we are exposed not to a single disruptor, but to many contaminants. There is still insufficient knowledge about how these multiple exposures interact within the body and how they might collectively affect health.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Endocrine Disruptors

1. What exactly are endocrine disruptors (EDCs)?
They are chemical substances that interfere with the hormonal system, mimicking, blocking, or altering the action of our natural hormones. This can impact vital physiological processes such as growth, metabolism, fertility, and neurological development.

2. Where are they most commonly found?
In daily consumer products such as cosmetics, plastics, textiles, non-stick cookware, processed foods, personal hygiene products, and certain foods like large fish or pesticide-treated produce.

3. How do they enter the human body?
Through three main routes:

• Ingestion (food, water)
• Inhalation (household dust, air)
• Dermal absorption (through skin contact with cosmetics or hygiene products)

4. What effects can they have on health?
They may contribute to the development of conditions such as:

• Childhood developmental disorders
• Asthma and respiratory diseases
• Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome
• Reproductive issues and infertility
• Certain types of cancer
• Cognitive and behavioral disorders

5. Are there particularly vulnerable stages of life?
Yes. Especially during fetal development, early childhood, and puberty. The body is more sensitive during these periods, and exposures can lead to lasting effects.

6. Can they be avoided or reduced?
Complete avoidance is not possible, but exposure can be minimized by changing habits—avoiding plastics, reading labels, reducing processed food intake, and choosing organic, fragrance-free products.

7. Are there clear regulations in place?
In Europe, they are recognized as substances of concern and regulations are under review. However, a comprehensive and harmonized regulatory framework is still lacking. Industry pressure has delayed stronger measures.