As a parent, you want to keep your children safe and healthy. But did you know that certain chemicals, known as hormone disruptors, are hidden in foods, toys, clothes, and household items? These chemicals interfere with the endocrine system and can affect everything from puberty to cancer risk. Let’s explore where these harmful chemicals come from, what they can do, and how we can protect our kids.
Chemicals, Chemicals Everywhere
More than 86,000 chemicals are registered for use in the United States, and about 2,000 new chemicals come to market every year. Some of these chemicals are hormone (or endocrine) disruptors. This means they can increase or decrease certain hormone levels, mimic or pretend to be hormones, or alter natural hormone production. Hormone disruptors can get into our children by being absorbed through the skin, consumed, or inhaled. So, where are our kids coming into contact with these chemicals?
Hiding in Plain Sight
Hormone disruptors can hide in anything from food to personal care products. Some of the most prevalent sources include processed foods and their packaging. That’s right, some of your kids’ favorite foods may contain hormone-disrupting chemicals, such as BPA (Bisphenol A), preservatives, and additives.
Nonorganic meat, dairy products, and produce are other common sources. That’s because hormones are often used to speed animal growth and increase milk production. Pesticides are well-known hormone disruptors used on fruits and vegetables; they can make their way into our children’s bodies even if the produce is washed.
Hormone-disrupting chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are also found in clothing, furniture, and electronics. Even personal care products, such as lotions, hair products, and cosmetics, are common sources. Beware of fragrances!
Don’t forget about plastics, which are nearly impossible to avoid these days. Toys, food containers, plastic wraps, and so on often contain phthalates and BPA. These chemicals can leak out of the plastic and into foods and drinks, especially when heated and enter the body, affecting hormone levels.
According to Leonardo Trasande, MD, an internationally renowned leader in environmental health and author of Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Our Health and Future... and What We Can Do About It, “the evidence is particularly strong for 4 categories of chemicals: pesticides, which are used on fruits and vegetables; phthalates, which are used in plastics and cosmetic products; bisphenols, which are used in canned goods; and flame retardants, which are used in furniture.”
So now that we know where hormone disruptors hide and how they get into our children, the next step is to understand the consequences.
Facing the Consequences
Have you ever heard of precocious puberty? It’s when a child enters puberty early, and some research links early puberty to hormone-disrupting chemicals. For instance, certain chemicals can mimic estrogen or increase estrogen synthesis, leading to early pubertal development. On the flip side, other hormone-disrupting chemicals may delay puberty. These unnatural pubertal changes can cause a host of issues, including emotional stress and growth problems.
\tAccording to research published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, the developing nervous and endocrine (neuroendocrine) system is thought to be particularly sensitive to hormone-disrupting chemicals. Human studies link in utero and early childhood exposure to neurodevelopmental disorders such as decreased IQ, poorer memory, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other behavioral problems.
\tEven health problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure, fertility issues, and some cancers, may be related to chronic exposure to hormone disruptors.
Fortunately, every parent can start taking steps today to reduce their children’s exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Reducing Exposure
Living with the conveniences of the modern world doesn’t make reducing exposure to these nasty chemicals easy. “Stop using plastic!” is easier said than done. But if you really put effort into reducing primary sources of hormone-disrupting chemicals, you and your kids will reap the benefits.
Start with what you bring home from the grocery store. Choose organic, non-GMO foods whenever possible to reduce exposure to and consumption of hormone residues and pesticides. Cutting down on processed foods is another excellent move to reduce hormone-disrupting chemicals in your children’s food. Don’t underestimate the benefits of selecting fresh, whole, non-GMO, and organic foods as often as possible.
Avoid plastic food and beverage containers. Experts particularly recommend avoiding plastics labeled with a 3 or 7 recycle code, as they may contain BPA or phthalates. Glass and stainless-steel containers are much better options than plastics. Never microwave foods in plastic. Studies have found that microwaving food in plastic containers can introduce micro- or nano-particles of plastics into your food and body. Avoid drinking water from plastic bottles, and be sure your drinking water is filtered, preferably through a reverse osmosis system.
Canned foods and beverages can also be troublesome. Many metal cans are lined with a plastic coating that contains BPA and other chemicals. Other items to be cautious about include personal care and household products.
Items like shampoos and lotions often contain hormone-disrupting chemicals. Look for products that are labeled “fragrance-free,” “paraben-free,” and “phthalate-free.” Reading labels carefully and choosing natural products can make a big difference. That also goes for household cleaners. Household cleaners can be another source of hormone-disrupting chemicals, but by selecting natural cleaning products, you’re taking a positive step toward a healthier home. You can even make your own household cleaners using essential oils, vinegar, and baking soda. The internet is loaded with suggestions.
In addition to these changes, some simple habits to reduce exposure include vacuuming and dusting your home frequently and washing hands often. These habits will help eliminate chemical residues from furniture or other household items and chemicals picked up in the local environment. Remember to avoid fragranced and antibacterial soaps.
As you can see, even though we can’t wholly avoid our kids coming into contact with hormone-disrupting chemicals, your role as a parent or caregiver is crucial. You can do many things to reduce exposure and help protect our children. Your actions can make a significant difference in their health and well-being.
Knowledge is power, and understanding the dangers of hidden hormone-disrupting chemicals enables us to make better choices for our families. Talk to your kids in age-appropriate ways without scaring them about these chemicals so that they can understand the importance of and the reasons behind the new choices you’re making. Empower your kids by making them partners in creating a home where they can be happy and healthy.
