Breast cancer rates are on the rise with one in eight women developing breast cancer in their lifetime. In the 1950s the incidence rate was one in 20.
Many studies over the last three decades have looked at the effect that estrogens have on the development and progression of breast cancer.
Estrogen has many beneficial functions, among which it promotes the proliferation of cells in the breast and uterus for pregnancies. Synthetic estrogens or chemicals with estrogenic activity can damage genetic material found near receptor sites creating mutations and leading to uncontrolled proliferation of cells.
Estrogen Receptors Overworked
Studies show that 70% of all breast cancer cases have over expressed estrogen receptors.
Estrogen receptors are found inside cells in target tissue in both men and women. These receptor sites remain inactive until estrogen becomes available. When estrogenic molecules enter the cell through the receptor sites, a series of events occur that eventually influence the behavior of the target tissue.
There are four types of estrogen that estrogen receptors respond to, the natural estrogens that the body makes (estradiol, estrone and estriol), plant phytoestrogens that are found in food, pharmaceutical grade synthetic estrogens and xenoestrogens.
Xenoestrogens are chemical substances that have estrogenic activity in the body. They can exert hormonal influences up to 1000 times greater than the body’s own natural hormones. They can remain in the body for decades acting synergistically with other xenoestrogens stored in body fat.
Sources of Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are found in pesticides, cleaning agents, toothpaste, infant formula, toys, teething rings, shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics, lotions, sunscreen, fragrances, petroleum products, plastics, including PVC pipes, microwave plastic dishware, plastic wrap and paint.
Some preservatives used in cosmetics, such as parabens and alkyl hydroxy benzoate (ethyl-, methyl-, propyl- and butylparaben) are also xenoestrogens. A study showed that butylparaben competed with estradiol for estrogen receptor sites.
Xenoestrogens found in sunscreen, such as octyl-methoxycinnamate, octyl-dimethyl PABA, benzophenone-3, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and homosalate, were found to have strong estrogenic activity enough to cause rapid cancer cell growth.
Preservatives are used in almost all body lotions including progesterone creams. The absorption of these xenoestrogens can be as high as 10 times the concentration of hormones taken orally.
Research Studies on Cancer Causing Estrogens Found in Daily Use Items
A published study showed some shampoos contained up to one milligram of estradiol per one ounce of shampoo, which is 50 times greater than one adult dose of estradiol. Use of these shampoos caused young children to develop breasts and pubic hair within one month of usage. Symptoms would disappear once the shampoo was stopped.
A study at the Dartmouth University reported that heating food covered with a plastic wrap in the microwave oven had up to 500,000 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens needed to trigger the growth of breast cancer.
Another study completed at the University of Granada showed that the coating added to the metal containers used for canned food had 27 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens that would trigger breast cancer growth.
Sources:
1. Endocrine Disruptors and Human Health: Is There a Problem, Toxicology, 2004
2. It’s Official: Men Are the Weaker Sex, The Independent, 2008
3. Xeno-estrogens, For Men’s Health, 2005
4. Smith, Elizabeth, MD, Xenoestrogens Interfere with Your Normal Hormones, Endo101
5. Understanding Cancer Series: Estrogen Receptors/SERMs, National Cancer Institute, 2005
6. Xenoestrogens, Wikipedia
Kathryn Picoulin - Dr. Kathryn Picoulin, BSN, ND, PhD received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University of Chico in 1978. After ...
