Xenoestrogens: Endocrine disruptors

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.