Hormone-disrupting substances and possible impact during pregnancy

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can disrupt the body's hormonal balance. They are found in many everyday products that we use regularly, including plastic bottles, toys, food containers, cleaning products and a range of hygiene products such as skin lotion, sunscreen, make-up and deodorant. These substances have received increased attention due to their potentially harmful effects on health. It is important to be aware of these substances, especially if you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, are breastfeeding, or have small children, as they may be extra sensitive to these chemicals. By understanding which products contain these substances, we can take steps to reduce our exposure and protect our health.

The role of hormones in the body

Hormones play a crucial role in many of the body's functions. They help regulate and coordinate activities such as our sexual development, metabolism and overall bodily functions. Endocrine disruptors can imitate or interfere with the functions of the natural hormones in the body. They can bind to hormone receptors, which can activate or block the natural hormones' effects. This can lead to a variety of health problems, as the body's hormonal balance is essential for normal function and development.

Health risks

Endocrine disruptors can cause several serious health problems. They can disrupt the body's endocrine system, the body's regulation via hormones, which is essential for maintaining physiological balance. Disturbances in this system can lead to various diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and various forms of cancer. Exposure to these substances often occurs over time and can have cumulative effects, i.e. several different effects interact with each other, which makes it difficult to directly link specific diseases to specific exposures. There is also a cocktail effect to consider, where the mixture of different chemicals can have stronger or different effects than the individual substances.

Some diseases and health problems that research believes may be linked to hormone-disrupting substances are the following:

Cancer - Breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and thyroid cancer.

Obesity and Diabetes - Type 2 diabetes has more than doubled since 1980.

Endometriosis - i.e. presence of endometrium outside the uterus.

Birth effects - Low birth weight, aborted pregnancies and genital malformations in young boys.

Breast development - Young girls enter puberty and develop breasts earlier.

Pregnancy, small children and endocrine disruptors

During pregnancy and the early childhood years, we are particularly sensitive to the effects of hormone-disrupting substances. Fetuses and young children do not yet have fully developed systems to deal with these substances, making them more vulnerable. It is therefore important that pregnant women and parents of small children pay particular attention to the products they use and the environments they are in to minimize the risk of negative health effects. The most critical stage for endocrine disrupting effects is the fetal stage. If a fetus is exposed to an endocrine-disrupting substance, it can mean effects on brain development or an increased risk of suffering from diseases in adulthood. In an adult, the body can regulate the levels of hormones in a better way, but in fetuses and small children, this mechanism is not as developed, which increases the risk that a hormone-disrupting substance can have long-term negative effects.

Substances to avoid in cosmetic products

There are specific substances in cosmetic products that are known to have endocrine-disrupting properties. These include certain preservatives such as parabens, UV filters in sunscreens such as benzophenones and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, fragrances containing phthalates, and silicones. Avoiding these substances is especially important for pregnant women and young children. When choosing cosmetic products, you should read the ingredients list carefully and choose products that are free of these potentially harmful chemicals.

Here you can take part in our list of substances to keep an eye on specifically in sun protection products - Substances to keep an eye on in sun protection products.

3 tips to reduce exposure to hormone-disrupting substances

In order to reduce exposure to hormone-disrupting substances, one should be aware of which products one uses in everyday life.

Think about the cosmetic products you use in everyday life. Are they all necessary or can you reduce how often you use them?
Remember to be extra careful when choosing the products you use often and especially those you leave on the skin and do not rinse off.
You can go through the ingredient list yourself to see if the product contains hormone-disrupting substances. The Endocrine Disruptor Lists website contains lists of endocrine disruptors and suspected endocrine disruptors. It also shows the legal status of the subjects. The Danish Environmental Agency and several other chemical authorities in Europe are behind the website, including the Swedish Chemicals Agency. https://edlists.org/