Endocrine Disruptors

Description

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune effects. The NIEHS supports studies to determine whether exposure to endocrine disruptors may result in human health effects including lowered fertility and an increased incidence of endometriosis and some cancers. Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming.

Health Studies & Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov listing of NIEHS Endocrine Disruptors studies (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/search;jsessionid=A51319A943AC575AF60A7130698FB27D?term=NIEHS++endocrine+disruptor&submit=Search)

What NIEHS is Doing on Endocrine Disruptors

• Effects of Organochlorine Compounds on Menstrual Cycles(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/sep/2005/menses.cfm)
• Since You Asked - Bisphenol A: Questions and Answers about the Draft National Toxicology Program Brief on Bisphenol A (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/media/questions/sya-bpa.cfm)

General Information

• Environmental Health Perspectives, Environews by Topic: Endocrine Disruptors(http://www.ehponline.org/topic/endodisrupt.html)
• Endocrine Disruptors (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/endocrine-disruptors.pdf)   (915KB)
• Endocrine Research Resources (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/recent-endocrine-refs.pdf)   (924KB)

For Educators

• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Are EDCs Blurring Issues of Gender? (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/edc-gender.pdf)   (325KB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Arsenic: An Element of Suffering (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/arsenic-suffering.pdf)   (122KB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Beauty or the Beast? (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/beauty-or-beast.pdf)   (155KB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Bisphenol A and Diabetes (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/bisphenol-diabetes.pdf)   (197KB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Consider the Source (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/consider-source.pdf)   (1.5MB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Lettuce Explore Perchlorate in Food (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/perchloratein-food.pdf)   (91KB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Soy: Filling in the Gaps (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/soy-gaps.pdf)   (147KB)
• EHP Student Edition Lesson: Wildlife Study Comparison (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/docs/wildlife-comparison.pdf)   (140KB)

Related Topics

• Children’s Health(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/population/children/index.cfm)
• Consumer Health Links: Environmental Health(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/library/consumer/env_health.cfm)
• Gene-Environment Interaction(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/science/gene-env/index.cfm)
• Reproductive Health(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/repro-health/index.cfm)
• Women’s Health(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/population/whealth/index.cfm)

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