How does endocrine disrupting chemical’s affect the female reproductive system and health?
What is required:You need to write a 2000 word essay which includes a strong opening, middle and conclusion
I have already started this essay hence I just need help in completing the assignment the topic of the this essay is how does endocrine disrupting chemicals affect the female reproductive system and health
I have started the introduction where I talk about endocrine disrupting chemicals, what they are and the mechanisms how they work (PCBS, PBA’S, DES) are examples of endocrine disrupting chemicals
The middle I have started too, which ive given the example of how endocrine disrupting chemicals affect the female reproductive system and health but I need more examples for this e.g. how endocrine disrupting chemicals can affect fertility, any other female reproductive abnormalities?
Concluding with the main points of the examples given and overall discussion, giving details
References should be given in havard style like ive done so already
How does endocrine disrupting chemical’s affect the female reproductive system and health?
An endocrine disruptor is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “an exogenous agent that interferes with synthesis, secretion, transport, metabolism, binding action, or elimination of natural blood-borne hormones that are present in the body and are responsible for homeostasis, reproduction, and developmental process.”
(Kuiper, 2001)
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are known to function via the nuclear receptors, such receptors are serotonin receptor, norepinephrine receptor, and dopamine receptors along with many other vital receptors that contribute to the enzymatic pathways involved in metabolism.
(Steroid, 2011)
Over the years of scientific research there have been many tonnes of man-made chemicals that has been produced and released into the environment. These chemicals have the ability to modulate the functioning of hormones also known as endocrine disrupting chemicals. The endocrine system plays a huge role in balancing the human body especially in females in relation to menstruation and fertility as these two types of female productivity can become sensitive to hormone imbalances. The endocrine system has many diverse functions throughout the body one of its main function is to regulate biological processes this happens from conception through adulthood into old age. The main organs involved in the endocrine system are the female ovaries, male testes, thyroid, pituitary gland and the endocrine glands.
(Rev, 2009)
Recent research has claimed that there have been many different types of environmental contaminants which may contribute to endocrine disrupting activity, and could be a concern to public health. Endocrine disrupting chemicals have been highly increased in prevalence of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, thyroid disease and cancer.
(Endocrinol Metab, 2014)
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are able to regulate hormonal function in the body, particularly affecting steroid hormones e.g. glucocorticoids, androgens, oestrogens. Concentrations of hormones could be affected by the binding of the endocrine disruptor to a specific hormone receptor. In order for the proper functioning of the hormones, they have to be released into the bloodstream from there is transported by carrier proteins into the cell wall binding to specific regions of the cell’s DNA for the activation of the gene.
(Colborn, vom Saal and Soto, 1993
). These synthetic compounds are able to interfere with hormonal activity. The mechanism of endocrine disruptors work by mimicking the hormone by binding to its receptor thus activating the same response that the natural hormone would or blocking the normal biological response, in this reaction the receptor site becomes occupied. They bind to the carrier proteins which reduces the accessibility of these proteins to transport hormones through to the bloodstream. Endocrine disruptors are able to react directly or indirectly with the structure of the hormone, which enables it to alter its function and change the regulation of hormone synthesis.
(Reprod Fertil, 2011)
Figure 1 shows the effects of EDC on the female reproductive system, the different types of EDC is present in the table should the possible clinical conditions they cause.
Image url:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2726844/The image above shows the different types of endocrine disrupting compounds and the possible clinical conditions they cause in the female reproductive system; the different types of EDC’s are tested on animals to see their effects.
The female reproductive system merely is dependent upon the hormone concentrations and balance. Therefore the dysfunction of the endocrine system may lead to the abnormality of the female reproductive system and health e.g. irregular menstrual cycle, endometriosis, impaired fertility and ovulation impairments. Hormones such as oestrogen, androgens and thyroid can be modulated by EDC’s, in occurrence to this the establishment for whether they can affect female genital function is vital. There is evidence that the effects of endocrine disrupting may be coming from a drug called diethylstilboestrol these are synthetic forms of oestrogen and are given to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages. In 1971 researchers discovered that DES is a type of cancer which could affect the cervix and vagina this type of disease leads to adenocarcinoma of the vagina. Therefore it was declared by the FDA physicians throughout the country not to prescribe the drug to pregnant women.
(FDA Drug Bulletin, 1972)
DES is defined as an endocrine disrupting chemical which is able to interfere with the endocrine system to cause many major abnormalities such as birth defects and cancer. Furthermore DES are categorized as xenon-oestrogens which means that they imitate to act like the oestrogen hormone as in comparison to many of the endocrine disruptors they act in the similar manner.
(Nicolopoulou-Stamati and Pitsos 2001).
One of the first DES daughters was diagnosed at a young age with clear cell adenocarcinoma this was first evident in adult females almost 40 years ago; they have a high risk of developing abnormal cells such as dysplasia in the cervix and vagina which could be a potential risk of developing cancer.
(Verloop, 2010)
These abnormal cells are not able to invade the surrounding healthy tissue hence they are not cancerous, however if these cells are left untreated they have the ability to be elevated as a risk of becoming cancerous.
(Rubin,2007)
The overall risk of breast cancer is not prone to having been exposed to DES chemicals but after the age of 40, the DES daughters have twice the risk of developing breast cancer in comparison to those who are unexposed.
(Palmer,2006)
Endocrine disruptors can distribute and interfere with the functioning and development of the endocrine system; this can have an effect on the developing embryos and the development of organs. A recent case study by Colborn, vom Saal and Soto discovered that women who fed on Lake Michigan fish for six years whilst being pregnant, their offspring would differ in comparison to normal offspring’s. Some of the abnormalities noticed were lower birth weights and smaller skull circumference; these babies would have been exposed to PCB’s which are a type of endocrine disrupting chemical. The breast milk that women fed on to their offspring may have been exposed and consisted of a large concentration of endocrine disrupting chemicals therefore leading to the impairments like such.
(Colborn,1993).
Exposure to endogenous oestrogen could risk an individual of having breast cancer. If exposed to long periods of time particularly during the development of breast tissues the effects could substantially be long term.
(Birnbaum 2003)
Figure 2 As stated there has been many studies that have high risks of birth defects, miscarriages and cancerous development associated with DES exposure, figure 2 shows the fertility clinical conditions and there percentage risks in women aged 45 who are exposed to DES in comparison to women who are not exposed with the same age factors
Image url: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/DES
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Developmental Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Wildlife and Humans,Environmental Health Perspectives,101:378-384, (1993).
Steroid,J. Biochem Mol Biol,
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Disease Susceptibility.
3-5, 204-215, (2011).
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Cancer and developmental exposure to endocrine disrupters, Environ Health Perspect111:389–394, (2003)
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Diethylstilbestrol contraindicated in pregnancy. California Medicine,
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Rubin MM,
Antenatal exposure to DES: lessons learned future concerns, Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey,
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