Plastics and Hormone Health
How to protect yourself in a plastic-filled world: a guide.
Happy Friday, health heroes. Today’s newsletter is a day late, but I think you’ll be interested. Microplastics seem to be the question on everyone’s mind.
It makes sense. Plastic is one of our time's most useful, durable, and widespread materials—and also one of the most biologically disruptive.
While it’s easy to dismiss concerns as alarmist or extreme, a growing body of research shows that chemicals found in common plastics can interfere with hormone function, increase the risk of certain cancers, and contribute to chronic health issues.
Yet plastic is everywhere—from the keyboard you're typing on to the bottle your olive oil came in. So, how worried should we be? And more importantly, what can we actually do about it?
I created this guide to help eliminate the confusion and give you science-backed facts and actionable steps. Maybe this isn’t the most sexy topic I could write about this week, but it sheds light on some low-cost interventions we can employ to improve our overall health, and I think curiosity and awareness are an essential part of a good strategy to being our healthiest selves.
Hormonal Havoc of Plastics
Certain chemicals used in plastics are known endocrine disruptors—they interfere with the body's hormonal communication systems. Hormones regulate everything from growth and metabolism to mood, fertility, and immune function. Disrupt that system, and you disrupt your biology.
The Chemicals to Know:
BPA (Bisphenol A): Mimics estrogen. Linked to breast and prostate cell changes, infertility, and metabolic issues.
Phthalates: Found in soft plastics and fragrances. Associated with reduced testosterone, reproductive harm, and hormone-sensitive cancers.
PFAS (“Forever chemicals”): Persistent in the body. Linked to thyroid dysfunction, testicular and kidney cancer, and immune dysregulation.
Styrene: Found in Styrofoam. Considered a possible carcinogen.
Dioxins (byproducts of plastic burning): Known human carcinogens with strong links to immune and reproductive damage.
💡 Did you know? BPA was originally developed as a synthetic estrogen in the 1930s—before anyone thought to put it in plastics. It was repurposed for industrial use when it was discovered to harden polycarbonate plastic.
The Health Impact: What the Research Shows
Hormonal Changes:
Testosterone levels have declined significantly in men over the past few decades, independent of age and health. A 2007 study reported a 17% drop per decade.
Girls are reaching puberty earlier, some as young as 7 or 8. Endocrine disruptors, alongside higher body fat and stress, are considered a contributing factor.
💡 Interesting fact: In 2020, a Danish study found that 1 in 4 young men had testosterone levels below what’s considered normal for their age. These are not fringe cases—they’re becoming the norm.
Cancer Links:
Breast, prostate, liver, testicular, and kidney cancers have all been associated with exposure to plastic-related chemicals, particularly those that mimic or disrupt hormone pathways.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies some plastic-related compounds (like dioxins and styrene) as known or possible carcinogens.
💡 Curious stat: Women working in plastic manufacturing—especially in food packaging—have been found to have up to five times the risk of developing breast cancer, according to some occupational health studies.
How Plastics Enter the Body
It’s not just what you eat or drink—it’s what you touch, apply, and inhale.
1. Ingestion
Heating food in plastic containers or drinking from plastic bottles left in hot cars increases leaching.
Plastic linings in canned foods (often BPA-based) and wrappers from fast food are high-contact sources.
💡 Fact check: A single fast-food meal can raise phthalate levels in your body within hours—especially when wrapped in plastic-coated packaging or handled with gloves made from DEHP (a potent phthalate). This isn’t a fact to freak you out — just for your knowledge.
2. Skin Absorption
Phthalates in lotions, perfumes, and hair products are absorbed through the skin.
BPA is transferred from thermal paper receipts, especially if you’ve just used hand sanitizer, which increases absorption by up to 100-fold.
3. Inhalation
Dust in homes and workplaces often contains microplastics and phthalates from furniture, electronics, and flooring.
Burning plastics releases harmful dioxins into the air—and those exposures are worse in enclosed spaces or poorly ventilated work environments.
Midlife Women Might Be Especially Vulnerable
Your natural estrogen is dropping, making mimicked estrogen from the environment relatively more influential.
The liver’s workload increases with age, and detoxification of these chemicals may be slower, especially if alcohol, poor diet, or stress are also in the mix.
Just as your body becomes more sensitive to hormonal signals, you may be more regularly exposed to hormone disruptors through cosmetics, skincare, and packaging than you were 20 years ago.
💡 Fun fact (well, not fun): A 2015 study found that postmenopausal women with higher BPA levels had significantly higher rates of hot flashes and abdominal obesity—indicating that these chemicals don’t just affect fertility years, but post-fertility health as well.
Can Your Body Bounce Back?
Despite widespread exposure, the body has built-in detox systems, and many plastic-related chemicals (like BPA and phthalates) clear within days if exposure is reduced. Great news.
Remember, one of the core tenants here at Health Shift is that your body is constantly trying to heal. It’s what it does best — repair, restructure, resilience. So, let’s take a look at how we can help it out.
Your Body's Detox Systems:
Liver & Kidneys: Break down and excrete toxins.
Skin: Eliminates some fat-soluble chemicals through sweat.
Gut: Binds toxins with fiber for removal.
Sleep: Supports cellular repair and hormone regulation.
Support Strategies:
Eat cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and Brussels sprouts) to boost liver detox pathways.
Drink water (preferably from a glass or stainless steel bottle).
Sweat through exercise or sauna.
Get consistent, high-quality sleep.
Avoid constipation by eating fiber and moving daily.
💡 Good news: A study from UC Berkeley found that reducing plastic-packaged food for just three days cut BPA and phthalate exposure by over 50%. The body will recover—you just have to give it the chance.
What to Replace First
You don’t need to purge every piece of plastic from your life. Instead, focus on reducing the plastics that interact directly with your body.
✅ Tier 1: Highest Priority
Don’t microwave food in plastic or cover it with plastic wrap.
Replace plastic water bottles with stainless steel or glass, especially heat-exposed ones.
Avoid BPA-lined cans; choose fresh or BPA-free options.
Minimize fast food and takeout in plastic or foil-lined containers.
Limit contact with thermal receipts.
✅ Tier 2: Moderate Exposure
Switch to phthalate-free, fragrance-free personal care items.
Replace aging nonstick cookware with ceramic or stainless steel.
Transfer oils and sauces from plastic to glass.
Prioritize fresh or minimally packaged food when possible.
✅ Tier 3: Awareness, Not Panic
Plastic furniture, keyboards, eyeglasses, and shower curtains have low direct absorption risk.
Focus your energy where it counts—your diet, skin, and daily habits.
Strategy, Not Perfection
In a world full of plastic, the goal isn’t purity—it’s strategy. Don’t panic about the plastic on your desk. Focus on what enters your body through what you eat, drink, apply, or inhale.
Hormonal chaos isn’t caused by plastics alone. It’s also influenced by stress, poor sleep, sedentary behavior, and diet. But plastics are a practical, fixable piece of that puzzle. And when you reduce exposure—even slightly—your body responds.
Health isn’t about bubble-wrapping your life (in non-plastic bubble wrap). It’s about being aware of your environment and intentional about your choices.
Because when you understand the risks, you’re no longer a passive participant in your health—you’re in the driver’s seat.
Have a great weekend, health heroes!
Dr. Alice
A little more about Dr. Alice Burron and Strategic Action Health:
Check out her website!
Catch her on Instagram: @the.health.navigator and @dr_burron
You can also connect on LinkedIn, if you want to be professional about it. 👓
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