What is wrong with estrogen mimicking hormones?

A host of common chemicals are feminizing males of every class of vertebrate animals, from fish to mammals including humans.  The world’s leading scientists, who are saying that their research indicates that the male gender is in danger also “waves a red flag” for humanity and is showing that evolution itself is being disrupted!  During times of stress, malnutrition, pregnancy or even perspiration, these endocrine disrupters or gender benders are re-released into your blood circulation.  The result, high levels of estrogen. 

Estrogen levels in our lakes and rivers have been linked to male fish having characteristics of both female and male.  “I’ve done a lot of studies throughout my career which extends back to 1973,” says research associate John Woodling. “This is the very first time that what I’ve found scared me.”

Estrogen mimickers are a group of different molecules that don’t have any obvious structural similarities. What most of these molecules do is attach themselves to estrogen receptors in cells and mimic the action of the body’s natural estrogen. They’re considered a possible cause of kidney, eye, liver and reproductive disorders.

The following is a list of sources of estrogen mimickers that your family is exposed to everyday:

Pesticides:  Pesticides are used on animals, farms, lawns, gardens, and golf courses. Some towns and cities have anti-pesticide by-laws for the cosmetic use of pesticides. The term “pesticide” includes herbicides and fungicides, and all of these easily enter the body through the skin and lungs.

If you are using more than one pesticide in a single application, an enhancing effect is known to occur, therefore promoting greater toxicity. Male snapping turtles have been found with female characteristics around the Great Lakes in Ontario, where wildlife has been found to be contaminated with more than 400 different chemicals.

Beef: Cattle for beef production in both Canada and the U.S. are given hormones which convert into estrogens; consequently, high levels of estrogens have been found in North American beef products.  If you choose to purchase meat, buy free-range or from your local farmer.  And, remember that in the U.S. cows are still given B.G.H.  The bovine growth hormone is an artificial hormone that is genetically engineered to copy the naturally occurring hormone produced by cows causing cows to produce more milk.  In Canada, B.G.H. is banned.

Dairy Products:  High amounts of estrogen and progesterone in Canadian dairy products have led to an increase in testicular cancer based on a study conducted by the National Enhanced Cancer Surveillance System.  Wherever possible, buy organic dairy, especially butter and cheese.  If it is not in your budget, buy 1% dairy with less fat.  Animals store toxins in their fat, and then we eat it.

Cosmetics:  Make-up, shampoos, conditioners, shaving creams, and deodorants using phthalates or parabens are another source of xenoestrogens.  Preservatives used in skin lotions, suntan lotions, and body lotions are estrogenic.  Look for products that are free of parabens and phthalates!  Look up your products ingredients on www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Plastics:  There are two types of toxins that are used to make plastic – bisphenol-A, and phthalates.  Bisphenol-A prevents plastic from breaking down in sunlight and is used to make drinking water bottles, plastic baby bottles, plastic food packaging, and some dental composites.  Be aware, that heating things in the microwave and leaving bottles in the sunlight, will release these chemicals into your food and milk in bottles.

*Never microwave anything in plastic or covered in plastic!  Use glass and stainless steel wherever possible to store food/drink.

Cleaning chemicals:  Ordinary household cleaners such as laundry detergent break down into chemicals that include nonyphenol and octylphenol.  Even after the rinse cycle, detergent persists on clothes, towels and so on.  Natural bacteria found on the skin breaks down the estrogenic compounds from the soap residues which in turn are absorbed by the skin.  Dryer sheets and fabric softeners may contain several harmful chemicals which are also known to break down and be absorbed by the skin.  Use a dryer ball, vinegar in your rinse cycle or reusable dryer sheets that are chemical free and save money too.

Farmed fish:  Herbicides are used to keep sea lice under control, and algaecides are used in above-ground fish farms.  Also, choose wild fish to avoid contamination from those chemicals.  For information on making smart seafood choices visit, www.seachoice.org.  It’s important when choosing protein sources to look for free-range poultry and eggs.  Support your local farmers!

Bleaching chemicals:  The process to whiten products such as tampons and toilet paper produces a dioxin as a by-product.  Try to purchase cotton pads, and tampons that are 100% organic or you may be getting a dose of dioxin or pesticides.

Pharmaceuticals:  Synthetic estrogens (Prempro, DES, and Premarin), Cimetidine (Tagamet), and birth control pills are all toxic estrogens.  Remember, once the chemicals are flushed out of the body by urine, they go into the water system.

A few symptoms to look for if you have high levels of estrogen:

·         Acne

·         Anemia

·         Depression

·         Gallstones

·         Weight gain

·         Memory loss

Symptoms can often tell you most of what you need to know about your hormones.  If you have more than three of these, hormone imbalance may be present, and you may need to have a laboratory test done to provide a clearer picture of your hormone issues.

My word of advice, “fight the war on estrogen mimickers” and AVOID them where ever possible! Purchase products that are biodegradable, packed in glass, not plastic; eat less meat, dairy and farmed fish, and try to avoid synthetic estrogens.  Buy organic fruits and vegetables and if they’re not available, thoroughly wash or peel all produce to remove at least some of the pesticides.  No need to worry, there are alternatives.

In summary, chemicals enter your body when you eat, drink, or breathe and are distributed throughout your body.  If these chemicals are not removed efficiently by your liver (detoxification pathway), they accumulate in your fat cells.  Same goes for animals and we eat the dairy that holds these chemicals.

Melanie Vollick is the owner and founder of Write Way Communications (Professional & Reliable Writing Services) and Greener Cleaner cleaning company.  She is an active advocate of sustainable living and has a B.A. with Honours in Environmental & Resource Studies from Trent University.

e-mail: melanie@greenercleaner.ca

Phone: 705-422-2075