Hormones are substances that are produced by our endocrine system.
• In very, very small amounts hormones control growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, behaviour, sleep functions, immune function, and stress. These are all functions that are critical for life.
• These functions are controlled by hormonal messages sent by the endocrine system.
• Hormones also play a role in many diseases, including diabetes and cancer. Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interrupt or imitate those natural hormonal messages.
• Since hormones work at very small doses, endocrine disrupting chemicals can also affect health in very small amounts.
• According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, endocrine disruptors may cause reduced fertility in women and men, early puberty in girls, and increases in cancers of the breast, ovaries, and prostate.
• A 2013 report from the World Health Organization reports that evidence linking hormone-mimicking chemicals to human health problems has grown stronger over the past decade, becoming a “global threat” that should be addressed.
