Endocrine Disruptors and Human Health Impacts

Endocrine disruptors are exogenous chemicals that interfere with the synthesis, release, transport, metabolism or action of endogenous hormones. Ubiquitous in modern life, major classes include phthalates used as plasticisers, bisphenols employed in polycarbonate and epoxy resins, and a range of persistent organic pollutants. These compounds may act as agonists or antagonists at nuclear or membrane hormone receptors, alter enzymatic pathways of steroidogenesis, or engender epigenetic modifications that persist across generations. Critical windows of vulnerability encompass prenatal development, infancy and puberty, during which hormonal perturbations can lead to permanent deficits in neurodevelopment, reproductive capacity and metabolic homeostasis. Human studies have linked prenatal and early-life exposures to reduced anogenital distance in males, compromised ovarian reserve in females, increased risk of preterm birth, obesity, insulin resistance and certain hormone-sensitive cancers. Global exposure is unevenly distributed, reflecting disparities in regulation, product use and dietary habits. Advances in analytical techniques have improved quantification of internal doses but translating biomonitoring data into health guidelines remains challenging. International efforts now seek to evaluate chemicals as classes rather than individually, promote safer alternatives and integrate mechanistic, epidemiological and regulatory data to mitigate risks.

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Endocrine Disruptors and Human Health Impacts publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in endocrine disruptors and human health impacts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Endocrine disruptor: an exogenous agent that interferes with hormone synthesis, secretion, transport, binding or elimination.

Phthalates: a group of plasticiser chemicals commonly used in consumer products that can metabolise to compounds affecting reproductive development.

Bisphenols: aromatic compounds used in production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, including bisphenol A and its structural analogues.

Biomonitoring: the measurement of chemical substances or their metabolites in biological specimens to assess exposure.

Antral follicle count: the number of small ovarian follicles observable by ultrasound, used as an indicator of oocyte reserve and reproductive potential.

References

1. Prenatal phthalate exposure and adverse birth outcomes in the USA: a prospective analysis of births and estimates of attributable burden and costs. The Lancet Planetary Health (2024).
2. Impact of Bisphenol A and its alternatives on oocyte health: a scoping review. Human Reproduction Update (2024).
3. A Review of Biomonitoring of Phthalate Exposures. Toxics (2019).
4. Decrease in Anogenital Distance among Male Infants with Prenatal Phthalate Exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives (2005).
5. Plastics Derived Endocrine Disruptors (BPA, DEHP and DBP) Induce Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of Obesity, Reproductive Disease and Sperm Epimutations. PLOS ONE (2013).