You have certainly heard of endocrine disruptors. These insidious small molecules act in very small quantities, but cause great damage to health.

Doubts began to arise in a Boston research laboratory in 1987 when researchers found that cancer cells were growing abnormally in plastic tubes. These cells showed the same development as in the presence of estrogen when there was none. Upon further investigation, the research team realized that it was the plastic itself that was causing this cellular reproduction.

It is from this "incident" that research on plastics such as bisphenol A, nonylphenol, acrylamide, phthalates, etc. developed. The contamination of our organism is carried out by toxic molecules that migrate from the packaging and residues of pesticides, detergents or drugs.

The list of endocrine disruptors is growing daily. This one, certainly not exhaustive, lists common, everyday sources of these chemical disruptors:

- It is fruits and vegetables sprayed by many pesticides that contain the most endocrine disruptors.

- Meat and dairy products contain dioxins, other endocrine disruptors. Dioxins are mainly fixed in fat and seem to be the major source of environmental contamination of meat and animal products.

- The growth hormones administered to cattle are also accused of being major endocrine disruptors.

- The fish in our seas and rivers also contain pesticides, dioxins, PBDE (flame retardants),bisphenol A and acrylamide, all of which are estrogen mimics. These toxins induce the worrying phenomenon of the feminization of fish.

- Our cooking utensils and food packaging made of plastic contain bisphenol A or nonylphenol, two other synthetic estrogens.

- Until recently, 90% of baby bottles contained Bisphenol A, whose contamination increases considerably when the bottle is heated.

- The acrylamide is found in many, many packages and especially those of microwaveable ready meals. This is very troublesome since acrylamide molecules are known to migrate spontaneously when cooking food at temperatures above 120°C.

- Bisphenol A, phthalates and other contaminating plastic molecules also lurk in metal cans and in aluminum cans that have a thin layer of plastic lining the inside. This plastic is used to prevent metal contamination of food and to preserve its taste. Food contamination increases in the presence of fats or under the effect of heat.

- The store checkout receipts contain bisphenol A. Currently, it has reportedly been removed from them, to be replaced by bisphenol S., but this substance may well be as harmful as the former.

- For the past twenty years, numerous products and endocrine disruptors released into the environment have been polluting our rivers. More than 150 endocrine disrupting contaminants have been identified from human (oral contraceptives, hormone therapy, etc.) and veterinary medications. Some researchers estimate the number of drugs containing parabens as endocrine disruptors at 400.

- Into our waters and groundwater is added the discharge of cleaning products, hygiene and beauty, as well as industrial waste.

When we know that almost all the waters of the world are contaminated, there is really something to worry about, since water is life!