Xenoestrogens are also known as endocrine disruptors. They are synthetic compounds that mimic the body’s natural hormones when absorbed into the body. They can change hormone levels, block a natural response or even trigger excessive activities.
A very well known xenoestrogen is dioxin. Dioxin is the byproduct contaminant of the industrial chlorine bleaching process that involves chlorine and a variety of chemical compounds.
The residue of dioxin is found in items that have been bleached such as tampons, menstrual pads, white toilet paper and diapers. Dioxin is also found in pesticide sprays and in public water supplies.
Greatest Exposure to Dioxin Found in Food
However, more than 95% of the human exposure to dioxin is from food, especially from commercially raised and/or farmed meat, fish, shellfish, poultry and dairy products and in levels that exceed government standards by more than 200%. (International Press Services, 1997)
Studies show that dioxin levels found in fish are more than 100,000 times that of the environment it lives in. Farmed fish was rated by the World Health Organization with the highest dioxin concentration levels over dairy and beef.
Dioxin both mimics and "blocks" estrogen and progesterone, causing lowered sperm counts, decreased fertility, inability to maintain pregnancies, birth defects, low testosterone levels, endometriosis, diabetes, suppressed immune system, skin disorders and learning disabilities.
Dioxin has also been linked to Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma and lowered immune function.
More recent studies link breast and ovarian cancer to dioxin. Dioxin has even been identified in the fluid surroundings ovarian eggs when extracted for test tube fertilization.
Studies have shown dioxin to also cause severe developmental and reproductive defects at 100 times lower concentrations than those that cause cancer.
All the best detoxification mechanisms in the body are unable to break down dioxin for excretion. This is because dioxin is chemically stable, doesn't degrade easily and is readily absorbed by fat tissue.
Once in the body, dioxins have a half-life of up to 11 years, meaning that dioxin will continue to exert its full negative effect on the body for up to 11 years. A half life is how long a substance undergoes decay to decrease its effect by half.
However, in women, dioxin does cross the placenta and accumulates in the developing fetus. It is also found in breast milk in women eating dairy products and meat.
In 2007 high levels of dioxin were found in meat, dairy, desserts and deli products. The contamination of dioxin was traced to guar gum, a food additive used for thickening
In 2008 dioxin was found in many tons of pork products in Ireland in up to 200 times the levels that are deemed safe. The contamination by dioxin was eventually traced back to contaminated feed.
The EPA Calls Dioxin a Cancer Health Hazard
Back in 1994 as dioxin was surfacing as a health hazard the Environmental Protection Agency released a report that isolated dioxin as a serious public threat.
In 1997 the EPA confirmed that dioxin is a cancer hazard to humans. That same year the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a division of the World Health Organization addressed dioxin as a human carcinogen.
In 2001 the US National Toxicology Program upgraded dioxin from 'reasonably anticipated' to 'known' human carcinogen. In 2002 a study linked dioxin to breast cancer.
By 2003 dioxin was again reanalyzed and was determined to have no known 'safe dose' below which it could not cause cancer. Yet, today, dioxin remains in the food supply and continues to accumulate in the environment.
It has been recommended to reduce or eliminate meat and dairy products from the diet in order to stop the daily exposure to dioxin.
Sources:
1. Schecter, Arnold, Intake of Dioxins and Related Compounds from Food in the US Population, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, 2001
2. Dioxin Home Page, 2006
3. Dioxins and Their Effects on Human Health, World Health Media Center, 2010
4. Steinbraber, Sandra, Patton, Kathryn, Xenoestrogens and Women’s Health, The Women’s Forum
5. Dioxin, International Press Services, 1997
6. Endocrine Disruptors, Lancet, 1993
7. Mills, Dixie, MD, Endocrine Disruptors – Tipping the Scales, Women to Women, 2006
Kathryn Picoulin - Dr. Kathryn Picoulin, BSN, ND, PhD received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University of Chico in 1978. After ...
