A report recently published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology garnered a lot of attention by claiming that endocrine-disrupting chemicals cost the U.S. $340 billion in healthcare and lost productivity. Certain chemicals are theorized to cause health problems by interfering with the endocrine system, which regulates a number of bodily functions through hormone action. Despite the media attention which may imply otherwise, it’s not just synthetic chemicals which are capable of endocrine action. Certainly, the media’s favorite endocrine supervillain, Bisphenol A (BPA), can show weak interaction under some circumstances. But soy, Vitamin D, and even caffeine interact naturally with our hormone receptors as well. Read more.
