How Everyday Chemicals Disrupt Hormones and What You Can Do About It

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental compounds that can interfere with the body’s hormone systems and alter how hormones are produced, transported, metabolized, or received at the cellular level. These disruptions may affect numerous systems in the body, including metabolism, reproduction, immune function, and neurological development.

Unlike acute toxins, EDCs often cause harm through low-dose and long-term exposure. This is especially significant during sensitive developmental windows such as in utero, early childhood, puberty, or pregnancy. These effects may not be immediately obvious but can contribute to chronic disease risk over time.

A key challenge with EDCs is that they do not follow the typical toxicology rule that “the dose makes the poison.” Small amounts – measured in parts per billion (ppb) or trillion (ppt) – have been shown to impact hormone-sensitive systems. This is partly because hormones themselves act at these extremely low concentrations in the body, making them vulnerable to even subtle external interference.

In addition, bioaccumulation – the build-up of chemicals in fat tissue, organs, or passed down across generations– compounds the problem. Many EDCs are lipophilic and persistent, meaning they remain in the body and the environment long after exposure. This is exemplified by the increasing detection of microplastics in human blood, tissues, and breastmilk—an indicator of how pervasive and long-lasting these exposures can be.

In this blog, we’ll explore:

  • What EDCs are and where they’re most commonly found
  • How they affect health according to current research
  • Key strategies to reduce your exposure through environmental, dietary, and lifestyle interventions

 

What Exactly Are Endocrine Disruptors?

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with the body’s hormonal systems. They can mimic hormones, block hormone receptors, or alter how hormones are made, broken down, or used.

Because hormones regulate critical processes – like metabolism, growth, reproduction, and stress response – disrupting these pathways can have widespread effects.

These disruptions don’t require high doses. Many EDCs operate at very low concentrations, similar to how natural hormones function. That’s what makes them particularly difficult to regulate and detect, even though they may still cause meaningful biological changes.

Common Types of Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs)

EDCs come from a wide range of sources. Some of the most well-known include:

  • BPA (Bisphenol A) – Found in can linings, plastic containers, and receipts.
  • Phthalates – Used in soft plastics (like food packaging and shower curtains) and also hidden in “fragrance” in soaps, personal care products, and cleaning sprays.
  • Parabens – Preservatives used in lotions, shampoos, and cosmetics.
  • PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) – Found in nonstick cookware, grease-resistant food wrappers, and some water-resistant fabrics.
  • Dioxins – Industrial byproducts that accumulate in animal fats and dairy.

Organophosphate pesticides – Common in conventional produce, especially if not washed or peeled.

 

Where You’re Most Likely to Encounter EDCs

While some exposures come from industrial pollution or contaminated water, most people encounter EDCs through daily habits, especially via the kitchen and household environment:

  • Plastics – Food packaging, storage containers, water bottles, and cling wrap.
  • Fragrance – Found in soaps, shampoos, air fresheners, candles, laundry detergents, and cleaning sprays.
  • Pesticides – Residues on non-organic fruits, vegetables, and grains.
  • Nonstick coatings – Frying pans, rice cookers, air fryer baskets, baking sheets, and takeout containers.
  • Tap water – May contain pesticide residues, pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and heavy metals depending on the local source.
  • Dust and indoor air – Flame retardants, microplastics, and chemicals from building materials and furniture settle in household dust, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.

Even low-level exposures — when repeated daily over time — can accumulate and affect health, especially when the body’s detoxification pathways are already burdened.

 

Why Small Exposures Still Matter

Traditional toxicology focuses on identifying the dose of a chemical required to cause harm. While this holds true for many poisons, it doesn’t apply as neatly to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). That’s because hormones themselves work at extremely low concentrations, and because they can bioaccumulate over time.

EDCs don’t just change hormone levels; they interfere with how hormones communicate. They can bind to receptors, altering feedback loops, or affecting how hormones are produced or broken down.

⚠️ Low Dose ≠ Low Risk

EDCs often follow non-monotonic dose-response curves (NMDR), meaning that small exposures can have different, and sometimes more potent, effects than larger ones. This makes standard toxicology testing, which focuses on high doses, insufficient to detect the true risks.

In other words: everyday exposure from water, air, packaging, and personal care products may be biologically active, even if it’s not acutely toxic.

That’s partly because the endocrine system is designed to respond to small shifts in hormone levels. But that means that even very low-level exposures to hormone-mimicking chemicals can interfere with normal hormonal signaling functioning.

🧬 Bioaccumulation and Persistent Exposure

Many EDCs are lipophilic, meaning they’re fat-soluble and can accumulate in the body’s tissues over time. Like a bank account, once stored, they may remain for years, contributing to chronic, internal exposure even after the source is removed.

This is particularly relevant for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like dioxins and certain pesticides, as well as microplastics, which are now being detected in human blood, placentas, and breast milk..

⏳ Timing > Dose

The timing of exposure is often more important than the dose. Hormone-sensitive periods, like prenatal development, childhood, puberty, and perimenopause are especially vulnerable to disruption. Effects may not show up immediately, but they can alter long-term disease risk – sometimes across generations.

 

Major Health Impacts of EDC Exposure

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health effects. These aren’t hypothetical risks – they’ve been observed in human and animal studies, supported by mechanistic research, and reinforced by long-term population data.

The impacts vary depending on timing, duration, and individual susceptibility (including genetic, nutritional, and lifestyle factors). Exposure during sensitive periods, including prenatal development, can lead to greater disruption. Furthermore, they can be passed down during gestation and through breast milk.

Here are some of the most well-documented areas of concern:

🧠 Neurological and Cognitive Effects

EDCs can interfere with neurodevelopment, neuroendocrine regulation, and long-term cognitive function. Effects are especially significant with early-life or in utero exposure, but adult exposure during hormone-sensitive life stages may also contribute.

🧬 Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects

Hormones regulate metabolism, appetite, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular function. EDCs that disrupt these systems can increase the risk for:

🧪 Immune Dysfunction and Inflammatory Disease

EDCs can dysregulate immune signaling, increase systemic inflammation, and alter the gut-immune axis. These disruptions have been linked to:

♀️ Reproductive Health and Hormone-Related Cancers

Because many EDCs mimic or block estrogen, progesterone, and androgens, reproductive impacts are among the most clearly documented:

Even if each individual effect seems small, their combined and cumulative impact across multiple hormone-regulated systems makes EDCs a high priority for both public health and personal prevention strategies.

 

What You Can Do About EDCs

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to lower your exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals. Instead, a strategic approach can make a meaningful impact. A few targeted changes can make a measurable difference, especially when it comes to the exposures you encounter daily.

Here are three places to start:

Limit Exposure at the Source

The easiest wins come from upgrading the everyday items where EDCs are most likely to show up. Start with swaps that reduce plastic, fragrance, and chemical coatings, especially in high-impact areas (the more often you use it, the more of a priority it is to reduce it).

High-impact places to focus:

  • Plastic food containers (switch to glass or stainless)
  • Tap water (install a filter that removes PFAS, pesticides, and heavy metals)
  • Fragrance-heavy products (ditch air fresheners, plug-ins, and scented cleaners)
  • Nonstick cookware (replace with stainless, ceramic, or cast iron)

 

📝 Want step-by-step recommendations?

Download the Hormone-Smart Kitchen Guide here →

 

Support Your Detox Pathways

You don’t need some magic potion or tea to detox. You’re already detoxing every day, your body knows exactly what to do. But it does need consistent resources to keep up with modern exposures:

  • Eat a fiber-rich diet to promote regular elimination
  • Stay hydrated to support kidney and liver function
  • Prioritize cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, arugula) to aid hormone metabolism
  • Get regular movement and sweat (through exercise or sauna) to assist excretion
  • Support gut health to enhance the microbiome’s role in detox and immune regulation
  • Minimize alcohol and ultra-processed foods, which burden liver detox pathways

 

Reduce Household Chemical Load

Your home is where you spend the most time — and often where the greatest exposures add up. Focus on these practical steps:

  • Choose unscented, EWG-verified personal care and cleaning products
  • Vacuum and dust regularly to reduce EDC-containing particles
  • Open windows daily to increase ventilation
  • Filter indoor air using HEPA filters or plants known for air purification
  • Wash hands before eating and after handling receipts, plastic, or cleaning products

 

In Conclusion

We may not be able to avoid endocrine disruptors entirely, but we can absolutely reduce our everyday exposure — and support our bodies in the process. The key is to start with small, intentional changes that add up over time.

You don’t need to be perfect — you just need to be aware. Every step you take to limit exposure and support detox is a powerful investment in your hormonal health and long-term vitality.

 

References

  1. Ahn C, Jeung EB. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Disease Endpoints. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(6):5342. Published 2023 Mar 10. doi:10.3390/ijms24065342
  2. Vandenberg LN, Colborn T, Hayes TB, et al. Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev. 2012;33(3):378-455. doi:10.1210/er.2011-1050
  3. Roslan NS, Lee YY, Ibrahim YS, et al. Detection of microplastics in human tissues and organs: A scoping review. J Glob Health. 2024;14:04179. Published 2024 Aug 23. doi:10.7189/jogh.14.04179
  4. United States EPA, 2023. Overview of Endocrine Disruption. Link
  5. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Endocrine Disruptors. NIEHS. Updated April 1, 2024. Accessed May 15, 2025. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine
  6. Vandenberg LN, Colborn T, Hayes TB, et al. Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev. 2012;33(3):378-455. doi:10.1210/er.2011-1050
  7. Hill CE, Myers JP, Vandenberg LN. Nonmonotonic Dose-Response Curves Occur in Dose Ranges That Are Relevant to Regulatory Decision-Making. Dose Response. 2018;16(3):1559325818798282. Published 2018 Sep 13. doi:10.1177/1559325818798282
  8. Green, M., Harvey, A., Finger, B., & Tarulli, G. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: impacts on human fertility and fecundity during the peri-conception period.. Environmental research. 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110694.
  9. Gore AC, Chappell VA, Fenton SE, et al. EDC-2: The Endocrine Society’s Second Scientific Statement on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Endocr Rev. 2015;36(6):E1-E150. doi:10.1210/er.2015-1010
  10. Yang Z, Zhang J, Wang M, et al. Prenatal endocrine-disrupting chemicals exposure and impact on offspring neurodevelopment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurotoxicology. 2024;103:335-357. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2024.07.006
  11. Su FC, Wei YC, Sun CY, et al. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Exposure and Neurocognitive Function in the General Population: A Community-Based Study. Toxics. 2024;12(7):514. Published 2024 Jul 17. doi:10.3390/toxics12070514
  12. Dagar M, Kumari P, Mirza AMW, et al. The Hidden Threat: Endocrine Disruptors and Their Impact on Insulin Resistance. Cureus. 2023;15(10):e47282. Published 2023 Oct 18. doi:10.7759/cureus.47282
  13. Zhang X, Flaws JA, Spinella MJ, Irudayaraj J. The Relationship between Typical Environmental Endocrine Disruptors and Kidney Disease. Toxics. 2022;11(1):32. Published 2022 Dec 29. doi:10.3390/toxics11010032
  14. Liu Z, Lu Y, Zhong K, Wang C, Xu X. The associations between endocrine disrupting chemicals and markers of inflammation and immune responses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2022;234:113382. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113382
  15. Calero-Medina L, Jimenez-Casquet MJ, Heras-Gonzalez L, et al. Dietary exposure to endocrine disruptors in gut microbiota: A systematic review. Sci Total Environ. 2023;886:163991. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163991
  16. Laws MJ, Neff AM, Brehm E, Warner GR, Flaws JA. Endocrine disrupting chemicals and reproductive disorders in women, men, and animal models. Adv Pharmacol. 2021;92:151-190. doi:10.1016/bs.apha.2021.03.008