The modern industrialised world is seeing significant rises in sickness relating to hormonal imbalances. This includes breast and prostate cancers, severe menopause symptoms, early puberty, especially in young girls, a myriad of behaviour problems, poor mental health and high instances of poor sleep. So what is behind all this? It can’t all be genetic can it?
Breast cancer is now the number one cancer diagnosed in the world, closely followed by Prostate cancer. The statistics are alarming, with one in seven women likely to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer in Australia, based on data collected in 2021.
In 2017, there were more than 17,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Australia, and that level has increased to around 20,000, making Australia one of the highest instance countries in the world. The data on Prostate cancer is not much better, and while modern medicine may be improving life expectancy and survival rates, there seems to be very little attention on how and why the instances of these hormonal cancers are occurring. Surely preventing the cancer in the first place, makes more sense, than researching for a cure? Stopping these high instances would reduce the devastation in families, both emotionally, physically and financially, not to mention, reducing the burden on an already stretched and exhausted healthcare system.
The frustrating thing about all this, is so much is known about many of the harmful chemicals in our world, chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors, and yet little is being done to reduce exposure and raise awareness. From the chemical sprays used in farming, to the chemicals in our everyday products, the disruptive health effects have been known since the early 1930’s, yet they continue to be used more and more, to the point that they can no longer be completely avoided. The original theory of “it’s all about the dosage” has been proven to be false, as even small amounts of some of these chemicals can cause major disruption.
So what chemicals are we talking about?
Bisphenol-A (BPA)
One of the more publicly known chemicals is Bisphenol-A or BPA, which is used in many plastic products, including in baby bottles. BPA is known to disrupt the nutrient called chromium, used to create and maintain healthy insulin receptors on cells, which is vitally important in keeping blood glucose levels under control. There are many Australians who have been diagnosed with diabetes, who actually have pretty good diets, however, their insulin and blood glucose levels remains high, despite all their best efforts in eating well. This is often caused by low chromium levels, which is directly influenced by BPA. BPA is used in many other products such as water bottles, plastic containers and food packaging, especially in pre-prepared “Easy Dinners” or “Microwavable Meals”. It is also found in the inner lining of some canned foods such as tomatoes and beans.
BPA was first invented way back in 1891, however, its hormone disrupting qualities were discovered in 1930. Back then however, the full manufacturing potential of this chemical compound was not yet appreciated, and its usage was minimal. Data from the U.S. suggests chemical production in 2004 grew to around 45 million kilograms, however in more recent years, production has been clocked at over 3 billion kilograms. That’s an astronomical increase in just 30 years. A high percentage of the BPA is used to manufacture polycarbonate plastic, the hard clear plastic often marked with a recycling #7. This plastic is then used to make CDs / DVDs, water bottles and sippy cups, kitchen appliances and utensils, eyeglass lenses, medical supplies, and in car manufacturing components such as headlight covers. It is also used in conjunction with epoxy resins, to create protective coatings and adhesives. One of the most alarming uses, besides baby bottles, is its use in the dental industry, in the white composite fillings. If one of these fillings becomes cracked or damaged, the potential for constant leaching of BPA into the body, is a real threat to health.
Technically, BPA should only stay in the body for a very short period of time, with the body excreting it within 24-48 hours. However, when there is constant exposure, the body just can’t keep up, and levels rise. Other factors that can influence the excretion time of BPA, includes poor nutrient status, either from poor diet or from poor digestive health. These factors are very common, with the Australian population leading the world with the lowest vegetable intakes. Poor digestive health is also at an all-time high, due to the high volume of grains and vegetables that are sprayed with microbiome destroying chemicals.
BPA has a similar molecular structure to the body’s own oestrogen, and can mimic and interact with oestrogen receptors. It is this behaviour that gives rise to hormonal cancer development and progression, and this could well be the underlying driver of many, if not most, hormonal type cancers.
There are many other problems associated with oestrogen being out of balance. Take young girls, who are constantly being exposed to BPA, then start to develop breast tissue, and can start menstruation as early as 8 years of age. As the body continually believes it is producing oestrogen, it starts moving towards puberty earlier. Boys can experience short stature or delayed puberty, or can experience aggressive or disruptive behaviours. Boys can also develop breast tissue if high oestrogen levels are sustained.
Other health related problems with BPA include infertility, with problems arising in both the woman and the man. There is also research suggesting that BPA exposure in young males, even at low levels, can make them more susceptible to prostate cancer later in life, however, cell damage and cancer susceptibility is most likely to occur at any time in life, based on other diet, lifestyle and nutrient status factors.
Countries such as Canada raised the alarm on BPA in 2010, and after much public debate, the Canadian Government banned BPA usage in baby bottles and sippy cups. Some other countries looked at the research and took things even further, by banning BPA in the manufacturing of all food contact products targeted at babies and young children. In Australia however, the government announced “a voluntary phase out of BPA use in polycarbonate baby bottles”, meaning, unless the product states that it is “BPA Free”, it most probably is not.
The highest exposure to this chemical comes when it is in direct contact with a food and heat. For example, heating up a baby bottle in the microwave, will allow small amounts of BPA to leach into the milk. This also occurs with Frozen Dinners or Microwave meals, that come served on a plastic tray and then heated in the microwave, or plastic water bottles left in hot cars. In dental fillings, the problem occurs during the consumption of hot foods or drinks.
Phthalates
Phthalates are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics softer, more flexible and more durable, and are used in a variety of products such as vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, rubber, adhesives, inks, sealants and protective wrappings. The most alarming usages however, are the ones included in everyday personal care products, and at one stage, heavily used in baby and children’s toys, including teething rings, dummies and rubber duck toys. These chemicals are known to have hormone disruptive qualities similar to BPA, and yet their usage remains prolific.
Personal care products including soaps, shampoos, hair sprays and nail polishes, are just some of the products used daily in most Australian homes. Air fresheners, toilet cleaners and anything that has the wording parfum or fragrance, are also chemically derived and include phthalates, giving them the nickname, “The everywhere chemical”. This is NOT the case for pure essential oils however, that are naturally derived from plant sources, and are not synthetic in nature.
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)
Those non-stick items in the average household contain another chemical bound to give us health challenges. Telfon has been around since the 1940s and is used to coat a variety of products because it is waterproof and creates a non-stick surface, giving it many industrial applications including non-stick cooking, and stain resistant products such as Stain Master™ and Scotchguard™, used to protect fabrics, carpets and furniture from staining.
Brominated flame retardants
Spraying furnishings with a chemical to prevent combustion may sound like a great way to keep the family safe, but looking deeper into this chemical, and the stories are similar. Imagine babies and young children, wearing clothing dipped in these chemicals to make them flameproof, and the high exposure this brings to their developing bodies.
Symptoms of high toxin build up
There can be many symptoms that indicate toxin build-up is happening, and also many variables depending on age. For children, common symptoms include asthma, eczema, food allergies and poor digestive health. In younger children, their detox organs are not fully developed, and they can often be seen to “grow out of their allergies”.
For the school age girl, the early onset of breast tissue formation and menstrual bleeds, is a clear indicator of excess oestrogen, whether this be naturally occurring, or from over exposure to chemical based oestrogen mimickers. In boys, there can be behaviour changes, stunted growth, or delays in puberty.
Abnormal weight gain is another clear sign that there may be some hormonal disturbance, especially when the diet is high in fruit and vegetables and low in processed foods, a situation that is rare in Australian children however. This continues into adulthood, especially when there is little to no knowledge around cooking and nutrition. Young adults often rely on pre-made sauces, processed foods or take away, as they have little to no cooking skills and are often time-poor.
Other symptoms that can be experienced by both men and women, are hot flushes, which can often be a sign that excess oestrogen is present in the body. For men and women, hot flushes can mean the body is unable to clear these excess oestrogens due to low nutrient status, mainly in the B vitamins Folate and B12. Women heading towards menopause can experience severe hot flushing and other disruptive symptoms due to additional imbalances and nutritional deficiencies. For men with Prostate cancer, they are often treated with Androgen Depravation Therapy (ADT), due to androgen signalling being seen as the main regulator of prostate growth and function. However, there is also very strong evidence suggesting oestrogen is clearly linked to the development and progression of prostate cancer. Testosterone is converted into oestrogen, so stopping this process with the ADT medication, can bring some symptom relief, however, depriving a man of testosterone has far reaching side effects such as depression, fatigue, irritability, loss of muscular strength and a significant decrease in a sense of well-being.
Reducing oestrogen levels, especially the chemical induced forms, along with improving oestrogen clearance through nutrient therapy, could allow a man to maintain his testosterone levels, while maintaining a healthful and much improved quality of life.
In Summary
Collectively, all chemicals known to cause hormonal disruption in the human body are called Xenoestrogens, and there are literally thousands of them.
While it may be impossible to avoid them all, you can make a big difference to your health, and the future health of your family, by reducing your exposure to as many of these as possible. Use glass drink bottles, look for personal care products that are free from PCBS or SLS chemicals, avoid room freshener sprays and plug-ins, and opt for infusers that use pure essential oils instead. Never heat food in plastic containers, even if they are BPA free. Use glass dishes or general crockery instead.
Ensure you are eating a healthful diet that is rich in vegetables, especially the green ones, as they are high in folate, and important in supporting your body to excrete these toxins. Other foods that support the removal of oestrogens, include those from the Cruciferous family, as they contain a natural chemical that will bind and excrete oestrogens. They also improve cardiovascular health, are weight loss promoting, and significantly reduce the risk of cancer and hormonal disruption. These wonderfully nutritious foods include broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, spinach and all the leafy greens. A healthful lifestyle also includes daily exercise or movement, stress management and of course, a whole food diet, with minimal processed foods and takeaways.