Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)

Are you or is anyone in your social circle (particularly those in Nobel, Parry Sound, or the surrounding area) suffering from cancer, autism, learning disabilities such as ADD, Raynaud’s disease, chronic illnesses, endometriosis, miscarriages, low sperm count or other fertility issues?

In short, while these conditions may seem completely unconnected, the endocrine system (the body’s hormone system) can affect all of them.

Defined by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), endocrine disruptors are: “chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system [hormonal system] and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. …The NIEHS supports studies to determine whether exposure to endocrine disruptors may result in human health effects including lowered fertility and an increased incidence of endometriosis and some cancers¹.”

So, while many people focus on cancer statistics, it turns out that environmental exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals can result in a number of chronic illnesses (not just cancer). This is why it is so important to not focus exclusively on cancer when inquiring about environmental contamination.

In fact, some of the latest research shows some associations between exposure to EDCs and health problems including: “the potential for such chemicals to contribute to the development of non-descended testes in young males, breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, development effects on the nervous system in children, attention deficit/hyperactivity in children and thyroid cancer².”

Children, youth and fetuses are most vulnerable to endocrine disrupting chemicals as their bodies are still developing. Heavy metals, some pharmaceuticals and plastics such as bisphenol A (BPA) are examples of EDCs.

How do EDCs work? Endocrine disruptors can³:

• Mimic or partly mimic naturally occurring hormones in the body like estrogens (the female sex hormone), androgens (the male sex hormone), and thyroid hormones, potentially producing overstimulation.
• Bind to a receptor within a cell and block the endogenous hormone from binding. The normal signal then fails to occur and the body fails to respond properly. Examples of chemicals that block or antagonize hormones are anti-estrogens and anti-androgens.
• Interfere or block the way natural hormones or their receptors are made or controlled, for example, by altering their metabolism in the liver.

Today, EDCs can be found in almost anything manmade. Add to that complexity things like genetic exposures, lifestyle, etc., one might ask how you would ever prove a direct connection between health issues that you (local residents in Nobel, Parry Sound or the surrounding area) are experiencing and environmental contamination?

I am aware of two steps toward such a possibility:

1. Find the documents that prove there has been environmental contamination in the water, groundwater or soil.
2. Get comprehensive water, soil or groundwater testing done. If contamination exists, compare it to the health industry standards. Does it exceed the maximum levels? Are the levels high enough to create bodily harm?

If you were to go down this road, I would highly recommend that you refer to the section in this blog titled, “Moving Forward: Further Research and Legal Options” – the 8 legal case studies that are similar to the Nobel situation should be useful.