The crisis of the hormonal system: the health-effects of endocrine disruptors

Abstract

The endocrine disruptors are natural or arteficial molecules wich are present in the animal (human) environment and entering into the organism. They are bound by hormone receptors, simulating or inhibiting the normal hormonal message. This way they are able to stimulate or hinder the function of the given cell, as well as the synthesis and transport of hormones or receptors. They can cause faulty hormonal imprinting in critical periods of development with lifelong consequences, as alteration of hormone-influenced cell functions, inclination to or manifestation of diseases, so they have medical importance. The number of endocrine disruptors as well as their amount are large and continously growing. Numerous, in adult age manifested disease (e.g. malignant tumors) can be deduced to perinatal harms. Their long-lasting effect can cause the alteration of basal human developmental characteristics (e.g. start of menarche). Vitamins A and D are hormones (exohormones) and could be endocrine disruptors. Perinatal imprinting caused by endocrine disruptors is transmitted to the progenies epigenetically, which also can influence the drug-sensitivity of offspring' receptors. If the epigenetic change is continuously transmitted to the progeny generations, this could have human-evolutionary importance. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(37): 1443-1451.