From Barbie Girl to Endocrine Chaos: Microplastics, Hormones, and Women’s Health
Jun 27
5 min read
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We were fools to think that plastic pollution of the Earth and its water wouldn't reach our bodies. Whether this was ignorance or intentional, we see the effects now particularly in women's health.
Welcome to another episode of: things I didn't learn in obgyn training.
It could also be an episode of: things women's health isn't talking about but should be.
If you remember the song Barbie Girl by Aqua, you're probably perimenopausal and you probably remember the lyric Laughing plastic, It's fantastic.
Sadly, we may actually be laughing plastic but I don't think it's humorous.
The term microplastics is describing the breakdown products of items we commonly know to be plastic.
Microplastic: synthetic solid particles, insoluble in water (meaning they do not dissolve), measuring 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters.
These plastics have been found not only in our water, but also in the air if light and small enough.
The concern originates with many additives in the plastics that give color (dyes), resistance to degradation (stabilizers), and make the plastic more flexible (plasticizers).
What are the chemicals of concern?
An umbrella term that refers to chemicals interfering with normal endocrine (hormone) function
is Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). This may be shortened to "endocrine disruptors".
Bisphenol A: a common plasticizer resistant to high temperatures, making it possible to "withstand" heating in microwaves. These are found in the lining of cans and cups, lining of glass bottle lids, and bottles themselves (this included baby bottles until 2011 in Europe and 2012 in the United States).
Bisphenol S: found in cash register receipts and paper boarding passes (on thermal paper), but has less research surrounding its toxicity than BPA. The suspicion is that it also mimics estrogen like BPA which we will discuss below because it is chemically a similar structure.
Phthalates: used as plasticizers, these are the most produced class of synthetic chemicals. They can be found in hairsprays, glues, nail polish, cosmetics, bug repellents and medical products. Some have been banned in the European Union since 2007 including DEHP, DBP and BBP in toys and child items. These also can be found in food containers, raising concern for exposure in food. Our exposure to phthalates may be higher than other compounds because there are so many different types of phthalates in our environment.
Brominated flame retardants: over 100 types with the obvious function of preventing fires, brominated being particularly fit for this function. They incompletely decompose making "persistent organic pollutants", suspected to be cancer-causing and endocrine-disrupting.
What impact do they have on women's health?
EDCs have been associated with:
Hormonal cancers (breast in women, testicular in men)
Metabolic disorders (diabetes, obesity)
Reproductive problems (infertility, malformations)
Neurodevelopmental problems (learning disorders, autism spectrum)
Huh. That's basically a list of patient problems I see on a daily basis.
Let's look more specifically at the chemicals and their effects.
Bisphenol A: a known estrogenic compound (known since the 1930s), meaning this can bind estrogen receptors in the body and unlock the hormone cascade that usually starts with estrogen. It has been associated with breast cancer, reproductive issues, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It has also been associated with obesity in children.
Bisphenol S: has been shown in animal models to have the same effect of BPA, mimicking estrogen. It activates the hormone cascade typically activated by estradiol, our most common circulating estrogen. Zebrafish exposed to this compound at high concentrations had fewer eggs, malformed offspring, and a higher estrogen to testosterone ratio.
Phthalates: because they have estrogenic activity, some phthalates including DEHP have de-masculinzed male rats when exposed as fetuses. In human males, the phthalate MBP decreased sperm concentration.
Brominated flame retardants: may interfere with immune function and cause oxidative stress, an underlying pillar of chronic disease
How is the body exposed to these chemicals?
Primarily through ingestion of food containing these chemicals. Depending on the size, small molecules can not only enter the digestive system but be absorbed through the gut the same way we absorb nutrients.
Most of the above chemicals can persist in fat, meaning they can be stored and lead to persistent exposure. Again depending on the size, they also can cross the blood-brain barrier (entering the brain) as well as the placenta.
We are also exposed through the air, allowing very small particles to be absorbed through lung tissue, and through skin.
The effect on the body appears to be dose-dependent, meaning more exposure leads to a greater effect. Intuitively, that suggests that if we limit exposure we can also limit the negative effects.
How can we avoid them?
While BPA (bisphenol A) doesn't visibly degrade with heat from a microwave, what happens to it on a microscopic level is an avoidable effect.
Limit or cease use of:
Single-use plastics
Plastic food containers (do not heat in plastic containers)
Plastic drink containers (glass and steel are good alternatives)
Eat local, whole, organic food when possible to limit pesticide exposure
Limit other products like household cleaners, cosmetics, self-care items (there's a non-comprehensive but nice list here from ADA cosmetics)
What do we still not know?
We do not know what concentration of bisphenol in animals is analogous to the concentrations seen in humans.
We do not entirely know the extent of plastics in the human body and organs at the cellular level. This will likely vary by each type of chemical based on their size, shape, and affinity for water or fat.
We do not know what can safely replace these compounds, but novel compounds are being produced, with debate over whether they bind to hormone receptors in the body.
In conclusion, it doesn't seem that we should be laughing about plastic, right Barbie Girl?
Resources:
Some of the information contained in this article is the result of my training, medical knowledge, and personal experience without a specific source to be cited.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. This is for educational purposes only. Discuss with your
doctor.
Campanale, C., Massarelli, C., Savino, I., Locaputo, V., Uricchio, V. (2020, February). A Detailed Review Study on Potential Effects of Microplastics and Additives of Concern on Human Health. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7068600/
Glausiusz, J. (2014, April 16). Toxicology: The plastics puzzle. Nature. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/508306a
Kwon, Y. (2022, June 19). Potential Pro-Tumorigenic Effect of Bisphenol A in Breast Cancer via Altering the Tumor Microenvironment. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/12/3021
Gray LE Jr, Ostby J. Furr J, Price M, Veeramachaneni DN, Parks L. Perinatal exposure to the phthalates DEHP, BBP, and DINP, but not DEP, DMP, or DOTP, alters sexual differentiation of the male rat. Toxicol Sci. 2000 Dec:58(2):350-65. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/58.2.350. PMID: 11099647.
Duty, S. M.; Silva, M. J.; Barr, D. B.; Brock, J. W.; Ryan, L.; Chen, Z.; Herrick, R. F.; Christiani, D. C.; Hauser, R. (2003, May). Phthalate Exposure and Human Semen Parameters. Epidemiology Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/epidem/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2003&issue=05000&article=00005&type=Fulltext
Gonzales L. L. (2024, February 27). I’m a Microplastics Researcher. Here’s How To Limit Their Dangers. University of California San Francisco. Retrieved from https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/02/427161/how-to-limit-microplastics-dangers
ADA Cosmetics (2024, April 29). Microplastics in Cosmetic Products: How to Avoid “Environmentally Unfriendly” Cosmetics. Retrieved from https://ada-cosmetics.com/expert-stories/microplastics-in-cosmetic-products/