>Info on a major cause of thyroid, adrenal diseases, leukemia, lymphoma, and brain tumors.

Study: Even “BPA-Free” Plastics Leach Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

These plastics are what have been found in both tumors and in dysfunctional endocrine organs. The endocrine organs are responsible for secreting the hormones are body used to regulate itself. Hormones like thyroid hormone, cortisol, insulin, growth hormone and immune signal hormones. The most commonly effected organ in cats is the thyroid gland leading to overactive thyroid. This is a serious condition in cats and women. In dogs the most common tumors are in the lymph nodes (lymphoma) and the most common organ dysfunction is over active adrenal glands, but many others are all too common. All the organs in our bodies that use hormone precursors to do their job can be effected. The plastic molecules are mistaken by the body as building blocks for the production of hormones and the white blood cell called lymphocytes. For example , plastic molecules (resemble a building block of thyroid hormone) are taken into the cells of the thyroid gland to make into thyroid hormone. But it is the wrong molecular structure and the cell is not able to make what it intended. The plastic molecules keep being transported in and build up in the cell until the cell either dies, undergoes inflammation or shuts down. This is why these compounds can cause a variety of responses. Inflammation can lead to tumors, or over-function of the organ affected. Alternatively, cells that fill up with plastic do not have enough of the normal molecules to build from and are unable to make hormones, leading to low thyroid function. The death of cells can also dis-regulate the organ in another way. In many body organs, there exists cell to cell local communication that is going on all of the time. The cell will signal its neighbor with either a chemical message or electrical impulse. When there are allot of dead cells distributed throughout an organ, gaps between active cells occur. The theory is that the gaps interrupt the normal cell to cell communication ability like a break in any small wire or a dam. This process is thought to lead to the “dis-regulation” of the immune system for example.

2010 is the first year that the American Association of Endocrinologist (all Doctors) testified before Congress of their own initiative to alert the nation to the danger of the class of compounds called “hormone disruptors”. Veterinarians and animal scientists have been collecting data for over 50 years on these effects & warned congress 10 years ago. The that last 10 to 15 years the effects have become more serious and much more frequent. The estimates from the American Veterinary Cancer Society is that within 10 years, 50% of our pets will die from cancer. This is a rapid increase in how often cancer is happening in our pets. Pets and children get a much higher dose of anything in the environment because they crawl around on the floor or ground and have a faster metabolism and take more into their bodies.

The other most common “hormone disruptor” chemical to be aware of is the herbicide 2,4-D also called “weed begone. The main exposure to humans, pets and other creatures is through drinking water. This is the most significant only because it has been around a long time in everyday use since the 1950’s. A simple water filter will remove this. Bottle water is as contaminated as any other water.

I will periodically write about this problem when new reliable science becomes available.