Hormone Havoc: What Products Affect Hormones? 6 Ways To Avoid Them. 

Francesca Lyon, lead nutritionist at hormone testing company FUTURE WOMAN, unveils what products affect hormones and the hidden dangers of endocrine-disrupting chemicals lurking in our everyday products and offers tips on how to clean up our routines for better hormonal health.

At FUTURE WOMAN, we help women struggling with symptoms like heavy, painful periods, PMS, irregular cycles, fertility issues—all of which have been linked to endocrine disrupting chemicals in our personal care items. 

You might be surprised to know that women are exposed to on average 168 chemicals daily through our skincare regime! This is significantly more than men and many of these chemicals negatively impact our hormonal processes and levels. 

What is an endocrine disruptor?

This is where the consideration of what products affect hormones begins… 

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with our hormonal systems. In particular they can impact each and every aspect of our hormonal health from hormone production right through to detoxification. The Endocrine Society has identified over 1,000 of them (so far!) known to affect everything from our menstrual cycles to fertility to thyroid health. 

These chemicals affect our hormones at every stage of their development. They mimic our hormones, block natural hormone functions, or alter hormone production, leading to a long list of issues like severe PMS, cycle irregularities, and increased risk of conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. They can also worsen symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.

Some general tips for detoxification include drinking plenty of filtered water, sweating regularly either through exercise or using a sauna, and making sure you’re going to the bathroom at least once a day. Our Remedy’s Magnesium Citrate is a great way to support regular bowel movements, alongside a regular intake of fibre. 

For more targeted support, testing and working with an experienced practitioner can be beneficial, particularly if you’re experiencing more serious hormone conditions like PCOS, endometriosis or fertility issues. 

So, what products affect hormones? The worst offenders are… 

Some of the worst EDCs when it comes to hormone health include:

• BPAs: hidden in plastics and cash register receipts, BPAs can bind to androgen receptors and can even lead to elevated androgen levels, therefore can also be an underlying driver of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). 
• Phthalates: found in many sources of packaging as well as personal care and cleaning products, they can affect circulating testosterone levels, impacting women’s ovarian reserve. Phthalates can also impact all stages of ovary development leading to fertility issues, premature ovarian insufficiency and lack of ovulation.  
• Dioxins: made as a byproduct of industrial processes, especially those involving incineration, dioxins can be found in our personal care products and food supply. Dioxins have been linked to thyroid dysfunction, in particular to lower thyroid function and in turn a higher TSH level. They are also linked to endometriosis – they increase estrogen production in the endometrium and can therefore cause endometriosis to proliferate. 
• PFAS: Used in non-stick cookware, a recent study showed that women with higher levels of PFAS in their blood had a 40% lower chance of becoming pregnant within a year of trying to conceive. Some of the ways PFAS impact fertility include impacted ovulation, increased chance of having endometriosis and PCOS too. 

So what can we do about it?

Now you have a clearer idea of how these chemicals interfere with your hormones, what can you do about it? I know it can sound scary and overwhelming but there is a lot that is still within our power! Let’s look at two key ways we support our clients to reduce the impact of EDCs:

Reducing exposure

It can feel really overwhelming once you realise how prevalent these chemicals are in our beauty products, cookware and cleaning supplies. But before you start panicking, we’ve picked out the top 5 you might use regularly and some easy swaps to lessen your exposure. 

1. Fragrance 

Did you know nurses in IVF clinics are banned from wearing perfumes? That’s because their endocrine disrupting effects can harm embryo development. At FUTURE WOMAN we think fragrance should be considered the new smoking! Hundreds of chemicals like parabens and phthalates may be lurking in your perfume and disrupting hormones by interfering with hormone signaling. 

Consider switching up your daily scent for a less toxic version, like Medeau. And always opt for fragrance-free cleaning products – you can add a few drops of essential oils to unscented products to make them smell good.

2. Home cleaning products

Research shows that the air in our homes may be more toxic than that outside due to the plethora of cleaning and fragranced products used on a daily basis. Home cleaning products are a big source of endocrine disrupting parabens and phthalates, alongside many other chemicals which harm our hormones. 

Switching out some of your regular home cleaning products for less toxic versions is a great place to start reducing your exposure. Check out Greenscents for a range of organic homecare products including dishwasher powder. You can also make your own cleaning products from simple ingredients. For example, mixing white vinegar, washing up liquid and a few drops of your favorite essential oil makes for a great all purpose cleaner!

3. Sunscreen 

Holiday season means increased exposure to the sun when we all reach for the suntan lotions. Have you ever stopped to think about what chemicals you might be lathering on to your body? Studies show that active ingredients in chemical sunscreens that provide UV-filter protection, can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. Some of these chemicals have been recognised as being estrogenic and disruptive to hormones. They’ve even found UV-filters in breastmilk. All of which leads to your body having more toxins to deal with and eliminate. 

Look for sunscreens that contain more natural protection ingredients such as zinc oxide.  We like Babo sunscreen, which is EGW verified.

4. Period care products 

Mainstream period products can contain all kinds of nasties with the potential to disrupt hormones. Plastics, bleaching agents, pesticides, fragrances, PFAs, heavy metals… need we go on! 

These toxins have the potential to accumulate in the body, due to the body’s inability to break them down, and cause endocrine disruption. Always look for organic, plastic-free, chlorine-free, perfume-free, and dye-free sanitary products like Natracare and &Sisters.

5. Drinking water 

In the UK we’re lucky enough to have access to clean running water every day, but do you really know what’s coming out of your tap? Drinking water can contain a myriad of contaminants that impact our hormones. Aluminum, chlorine, lime, mercury, pesticides, and fluoride are just some of the chemicals that may be present in drinking water, all potentially disruptive to health. And homes built before 1970 may have lead pipework that could lead to the presence of lead in the water. 

Consider filtering your drinking water with a carafe or kitchen top unit like the ones from AquaTru.

6.  Support detoxification

Reducing exposure is important. But supporting your detoxification pathways is also key. We need to support our body in clearing some of these chemicals out of the body. 

Some general tips for detoxification include drinking plenty of filtered water, sweating regularly either through exercise or using a sauna, and making sure you’re going to the bathroom at least once a day. Our Remedy’s Magnesium Citrate is a great way to support regular bowel movements, alongside a regular intake of fibre. 

For more targeted support, testing and working with an experienced practitioner can be beneficial, particularly if you’re experiencing more serious hormone conditions like PCOS, endometriosis or fertility issues. This will help you to understand not just what products affect hormones, but yours specifically.

In our FUTURE WOMAN Advanced Hormone Test, in addition to looking at your hormone levels like oestrogen and progesterone, which can be affected by EDCs, we also look at some key markers that indicate how well you’re able to detoxify pollutants and chemicals. These include markers for inflammation, oxidative stress and oestrogen detoxification. Once we have your results, one of our expert practitioners will make some targeted suggestions for you in your free personalised plan.

Conclusion

Now you know what products affect hormones hopefully we’ve convinced you to take endocrine disrupting chemicals seriously for the good of your hormones! 

And remember, you don’t need to change everything overnight. We advise clients to switch up their products when they run out – so if you’re out of washing up liquid, make your next purchase a hormone-friendly option. There are also some great mobile apps like Think Dirty, which can help you make quick decisions when you’re out shopping. 
If you’re struggling with symptoms of hormone imbalance, check out FUTURE WOMAN for more information about their at-home hormone testing and how they can help.