4 Common Hormone Disrupting Chemicals (& How to Avoid Them)

We need to discuss endocrine disruptors (aka “hormone disruptors”).

Unfortunately, they are common and pervasive in every aspect of our lives. You can’t avoid them unless you live off the land in Siberia. (Though… the world’s largest lake in Siberia contained some level of chemical contamination from an old Russian paper plant, so... also, Siberia is cold.)

We can’t altogether avoid exposure to endocrine disruptors, but it’s essential to try to minimize our exposure to them.

Once we define what they are, we will touch on the 4 Ps, or four main places you'll encounter endocrine disruptors. Then, we'll cover what to do when you cross paths with these chemicals so you can implement our strategies and steer clear.

What exactly are endocrine-disrupting chemicals?

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can have estrogenic, androgenic, antiestrogenic, or antiandrogenic properties. This means they can:

• Disrupt your sex hormones by messing with your metabolism
• Obstruct the dialogue between your genetic and nongenetic pathways
• Interfere with hormonal feedback regulation and neuroendocrine cells
• Change DNA methylation

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. It’s ideal that these core, essential functions of the body are working in peak condition for everyone, but especially if you are trying to conceive.

The impact of endocrine disruptors can be multi-generational. 

Yes, you read that correctly! It’s why we at FullWell are so passionate about educating on this topic. By now, you're probably a little nervous, but remember: The solution isn’t to move to Siberia or completely overwhelm yourself (or your budget) by changing everything about your lifestyle.

Let's break down some of the biggest offenders and look at practical strategies to limit your exposure. 

Some of these seem obvious. Some might be a total surprise.

The 4 most common offenders (the 4 "P"s) are:

1. Plastics
2. Pesticides
3. Pollution
4. Personal care products

All of these things are endocrine disruptors. We know what you're thinking. If endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with hormones, it's a little scary to find them hiding in many everyday products, especially considering that they can take such an enormous toll on your health. The 4 P’s negatively impact your hormones and your body’s natural detoxification system, nutrient metabolism, gut health, mental clarity, cognition, and the development of different diseases.

How frequently do you encounter plastics, pesticides, pollution, and personal care products?

Probably a lot, right? (And it’s honestly probably even more than you think.) Because of how frequent our exposure is to these things, it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming to tackle this problem. Below, we go into the 4 Ps,  highlight their impact on your health, and explain how you can minimize exposure without overhauling your entire life.

Let’s dive in!

1. PLASTICS

One of the most well-known chemicals found in plastic is Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is an industrial chemical used to make plastics and resins since the 1960s. BPA is problematic because it mimics estrogen in the body. As a result, it can cause tons of damage by disrupting hormones, harming your reproductive system, and negatively impacting brain development and metabolic function. This industrial chemical has also been linked to cancer and other severe disorders. And while BPA is dangerous for everyone, the developing fetus and babies are the most vulnerable age groups when it comes to BPA’s toxic effects.

BPA is hiding everywhere.

You can find BPA hiding in products like canned food, glass jars, bottle lids, aerosol cans, beverage cans, coffee cans, and even athletic wear! That said, it’s not a reasonable goal to completely eliminate exposure to BPA. However, there are steps you can take to reduce exposure to BPA.

Minimize plastic exposure:

• Replace canned foods with fresh, frozen, or dried foods
• Limit the number of packaged foods you eat
• Never heat food in plastic. Always transfer it to a stainless-steel pot or pan, or a glass container
• Avoid canned beverages like seltzer
• Avoid receipts! BPA can transfer to your hands and be absorbed through the skin. If you need to take a receipt, wash your hands thoroughly, especially before eating
• Research athletic wear
• Reprise uses Tencel, a eucalyptus-based fabric, and GOTS organic cotton
• Ripple Yogawear also uses GOTS-certified organic cotton and bio-based fabric made from the bark of the beech tree

A note on "BPA-free"

Unfortunately, as concern about BPA has grown among consumers, the industry has adapted by creating new (likely equally dangerous) chemicals to replace it that have yet to be studied. So stick with the above tips to avoid BPA and its replacements. 

2. PESTICIDES

Most people don’t realize that many pesticide residues hide everywhere. Pesticides are commonly found on conventionally grown produce. This is true even after it’s been washed or peeled.

A lot of research supports the fact that pesticides can negatively impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes. For example, this study found that higher consumption of high-pesticide residue fruits and vegetables was associated with lower probabilities of pregnancy and live birth following infertility treatment.

Minimize pesticide exposure:

• Eat a wide variety of produce
• Drink clean water
• Try to eat local, organic food whenever possible to help reduce your exposure to pesticides
• Wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them. You can find great, safe-to-use produce washing solutions at your supermarket or your local health food store. Just be sure to check the ingredients
• Use toxin-free methods to control insects. If you choose a chemical-based commercial insecticide or pest control treatment, you might be introducing chemicals into your home that are more dangerous than the insects or pests you’re trying to get rid of

3. POLLUTION

This is more than the outdoor smog you think of when you hear “pollution." Pollution is anything that reduces air quality in your environment. This includes air fresheners, candles, plug-in and spray bottle room deodorizers, perfumes, etc. Removing air fresheners from your home is a super simple way to minimize air pollution.

Unfortunately, these toxins can't be avoided entirely in the real world. They’re everywhere. You’ll notice how common they are in public spaces once your nose adjusts to not having them in your home!

Minimize pollution exposure:

• Avoid secondhand smoke
• Ditch your air fresheners. Go around the house and collect all of your bottles of air freshener, plug-ins, candles, perfumes, etc. and just get rid of them! Instead, you can use things like essential oil diffusers or even boiling water with spices, which is more cost-effective. Organic beeswax and 100% soy wax or coconut-based candles are also great options
• Get some plants for your home. Plants can take some particulates in the air and process them into oxygen via photosynthesis. Plus, the microorganisms in the soil are responsible for a significant amount of their cleaning effect. Some popular air-detoxifying plants are dracaena, spider plants, sword ferns, and peace lilies
• Spend time in nature. This is especially important if you live in a city with a high population density. Make it a point to get outside and expose yourself to fresh air often

4. PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

Look at the ingredients in your lotions, make-up, perfume, shampoo, conditioner, deodorants, etc. A couple of significant offenders to watch out for are known hormone disruptors: phthalates and parabens.

The fallacy of "fragrance"

The word “fragrance” on the ingredients list is often just a mask for other hidden chemicals. Believe it or not, the cosmetics industry can get away with this. As previously mentioned, parabens and phthalates are two of the most common and problematic toxins in personal care products (often hiding under the term “fragrance”). Parabens, a group of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, act as a preservative in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and food products. Phthalates, another endocrine-disrupting group of chemicals, are used in plastics, solvents, and synthetic fragrances.

Minimize exposure to toxins in personal care products:

• Choose natural products. Read the ingredients and stay on your toes
• Consider switching to safer, high-performing clean beauty products. There are many options on the market now at a range of price points

Good news! You can help your body detoxify from the inside out!

• Choose organic, wild foods where possible
• Consume plenty of phytochemicals from a wide range of brightly colored fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Some great sources of phytochemicals include; cruciferous vegetables, pomegranate, berries, green tea, coffee (polyphenols), turmeric, ginger, onions and garlic, culinary herbs like coriander (cilantro), dill, parsley, rosemary, mint, citrus zest, and beets.
• Eat plenty of high-quality protein (wild meat and game, poultry, fish, eggs)
• Consume probiotic and prebiotic foods. You can read more about this here.
• Up your intake of olive oil, fatty fish, nuts, seeds
• Supplement accordingly! Our range of products, including our Women’s Prenatal, Men’s Multivitamin, Fish Oil, and Fertility Booster, pack a punch for boosting your antioxidant intake

The takeaway: plastics, pesticides, pollution, and personal care products are endocrine disruptors that can have a massive impact on your health.

Even though it can feel overwhelming to start decreasing your exposure to these toxins, it can be very beneficial, especially if you are trying to conceive. Doing so can support your endocrine system, your body’s natural detoxification process, nutrient metabolism, gut health, mental clarity, and cognition, and provide protective and restorative effects on sperm and eggs to help produce healthy DNA and support embryo development. In addition, the best-kept secret is that reducing exposure to the 4 Ps isn't all that challenging! Choose from the easy swaps highlighted above and get the most bang for your buck when reducing your exposure to toxins. Start by implementing one or two actionable strategies, and go from there. We believe in you!