Plastics chemicals cause infertility and health
An infertility crisis on Spanish pig farms has been linked to endocrine-disrupting plastic chemicals also found in human food products, in a study conducted by researchers from the University of Zaragoza and published in the journal Scientific Reports in May.
The study marks "the first time that the correlation between reproductive failures and compounds migrating from plastic materials [has been] studied and demonstrated," lead researcher Cristina Nerin said.
Semen bags contaminated
In the spring of 2010, sows on 41 separate pig farms across Spain abruptly stopped bearing young or began producing smaller-than-normal litters. Researchers examined both the sows and the semen that had been used to artificially inseminate them but found no abnormalities or evidence of disease and no evidence of feed or water contamination.
They did eventually discover, however, that all the semen used in inseminating sows on the farms had been originally refrigerated in bags that came from the same company.
Nerin, an expert in food packaging, was called in by the bag-making company to solve the mystery. Her preliminary tests identified several chemicals in the bags that have been linked to endocrine (hormone) disruption and reproductive problems, most notably cyclic lactone and BADGE.
Cyclic lactone is commonly used in the adhesives used to seal food bags, such as bags of potato chips or sliced meat. It was among the chemicals found at highest concentrations in the semen bags. BADGE, a byproduct of the notorious chemical bisphenol A (BPA), was also found at high levels.
BPA and BADGE are both found in high levels not just in hard plastics but also in the linings of 95 percent of food and beverage cans on the market. BADGE is also found in household dust.
Both cyclic lactone and BADGE have been shown, in prior studies, to migrate from packaging into food. A recent study by the New York State Department of Health found BADGE in 100 percent of urine samples collected in the United States and China. Read more
Showing posts with label #endocrine disruptors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #endocrine disruptors. Show all posts
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
The Top 10 Endocrine Disruptors To Avoid
The Top 10 Endocrine Disruptors To Avoid
Constant exposure to endocrine disruptors is like putting a drop of water in the gas tank of a car. One drop may not have a major impact, but drip by drip, the car soon breaks down. Endocrine disruptors do the same thing to the human body. Unlike the car, before the body breaks down its main systems go haywire and present symptoms such as infertility, weight gain, cardiac disease, dementia, and so much more. That’s because hormones from endocrine organs, such as the thyroid, pituitary gland, testes, ovaries, pancreas, adrenal glands, and even the gastrointestinal tract, control every function in the body.
Top Endocrine Disruptors
The following 10 endocrine disruptors are the main ones you should completely avoid. Where possible, I’ve included ways to avoid exposure as well as simple strategies you can take to reduce body accumulation.
#1. Organophosphate Pesticides
These pesticides get sprayed all over our food in an effort to kill common crop pests. Pesticide residue on vegetables and fruits are one of the most common ways we consume these dangerous chemicals, unless we choose organic. Organophosphate pesticides have been shown to cause infertility in men, slow brain development in children, and have even been shown to affect thyroid function. [1] [2] Always choose organic when purchasing food to avoid these pesticides.
#2. 17α-Ethynylestradiol
Don’t let the name of this compound turn you off. 17α-Ethynylestradiol is a synthetic form of estrogen and the only one that remains active when taken orally. Currently, this synthetic hormone can be found in all forms of oral birth control. Studies have shown that it promotes breast cancer complications and cell proliferation. [3] Even the US government has acknowledged its dangerous effects. Read more
Constant exposure to endocrine disruptors is like putting a drop of water in the gas tank of a car. One drop may not have a major impact, but drip by drip, the car soon breaks down. Endocrine disruptors do the same thing to the human body. Unlike the car, before the body breaks down its main systems go haywire and present symptoms such as infertility, weight gain, cardiac disease, dementia, and so much more. That’s because hormones from endocrine organs, such as the thyroid, pituitary gland, testes, ovaries, pancreas, adrenal glands, and even the gastrointestinal tract, control every function in the body.
Top Endocrine Disruptors
The following 10 endocrine disruptors are the main ones you should completely avoid. Where possible, I’ve included ways to avoid exposure as well as simple strategies you can take to reduce body accumulation.
#1. Organophosphate Pesticides
These pesticides get sprayed all over our food in an effort to kill common crop pests. Pesticide residue on vegetables and fruits are one of the most common ways we consume these dangerous chemicals, unless we choose organic. Organophosphate pesticides have been shown to cause infertility in men, slow brain development in children, and have even been shown to affect thyroid function. [1] [2] Always choose organic when purchasing food to avoid these pesticides.
#2. 17α-Ethynylestradiol
Don’t let the name of this compound turn you off. 17α-Ethynylestradiol is a synthetic form of estrogen and the only one that remains active when taken orally. Currently, this synthetic hormone can be found in all forms of oral birth control. Studies have shown that it promotes breast cancer complications and cell proliferation. [3] Even the US government has acknowledged its dangerous effects. Read more
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