Xenoestrogens are part of a group of chemicals known as endocrine (hormone) disruptors. Endocrine disruptors, once in our system, can mimic or block our hormones and begin telling our tissues what to do. This is a problem, as they then start interfering with what our hormones naturally do to keep us in balance. This especially affects tissues that are heavy in hormone receptors, such as breast or uterine tissue.
Once these xenoestrogens enter our system, they start binding to our receptors. Since they are much stronger than the estrogens we normally produce, this is a problem. Our normal estrogen helps with menstrual cycles, regulating cholesterol, maintaining bone density, fueling our brain and elevating our mood. When we add stronger estrogens to our system, we end up with estrogen dominance.
The Effects of Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens have been linked to miscarriages, early puberty, endometriosis, cancers and obesity. In addition, xenoestrogens can get stored in fat cells because our body has difficulty breaking them down.
How do we avoid xenoestrogens?
Start small with the things you can control, such as reducing the plastic (that you ingest or apply topically. I often tell patients that the BPA found in plastics was actually first created to be an estrogen mimicker in the 1920s. It was not used in plastics until the 1950s. So, start reading labels and understanding your beauty products in order to eliminate BPA from your life. In addition, certain pesticides act as xenoestrogens, so try to buy organic food as often as you can.
What other easy steps can you do to reduce your xenoestrogen exposure? Contact us today to learn more!