Xenoestrogens, poison of the new century

They are alien oestrogens, which mimic real oestrogens that our body produce. But they are much more harmful, they last longer and it's difficult to get rid of them. They are endocrine disrupters, which may affect the proper functioning of thyroid, immune system and many organs. They can seriously affect the hormonal balance of men and women, as well as the fauna. Rivers are contaminated by xenostroegens, fish become hermaphrodites. Water treatment can not eliminate xenoestrogens, so now more and more cities install a new processing system with ozone.

Where are they?
Environment is full of it. We find those undesirable hormones in:
pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, petrochemicals,
tap water, bbq, paint, glue, solvents, paint removers, plastics, in meat of animals fed with food containing pesticides, detergents industry: cosmetics, cleansers, hygiene products, air pollution: gasoline, diesel, nail polish containing toluene or phthalates.
Dyes containing phenylenediamine, towels and tampons bleached with chlorine, phthalates, synthetic components that increase the flexibility of plastic, anti-lice shampoos (pesticides), cigarette smoke.



What they do?
if the body fails to dispose of estrogen excess, following disorders may occur: uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, cystic fibrosis of the breast, heavy menstruation blood flow, acute PMS, endometriosis, risk of breast cancer and other cancers.

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Xenoestrogens are synthetic chemicals that mimic or interfere with estrogen in our bodies. They form a subset of a broader group of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors.

Exposure to xenoestrogens, which are found in pesticides, PCBs, plastics, and other industrial chemicals, has been linked to breast and ovarian cancers in women and to decreased testosterone levels, prostate cancer, and lowered sperm count in men. These damaging effects have been found in fish, reptiles, birds, rodents, and humans.

These chemicals are found in soil, lakes, and rivers as pesticide run-off from agricultural usage. They are present in polycarbonate plastic food wraps and containers and are also found in herbicides and pesticides on fruits and vegetables. Because hormones such as estrogen act in the body at very low levels (parts per trillion), exposure to even small amounts of environmental endocrine disruptors concern scientists. Although the plastic and chemical industries refute the links between their products and the effects of endocrine disruption, the government environmental agencies in Canada and the US have begun to screen potentially xenoestrogenic chemicals and to undertake more research into the impact these chemicals have on animals and humans.



Source: alive #X