Reducing exposure to non-persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals and their impact on human health: Evidence from dietary, behavioral, and residential interventions.

BACKGROUND

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are widespread environmental contaminants that interfere with hormonal signaling and are associated with adverse reproductive, metabolic, thyroid, neurodevelopmental, and other endocrine-related health outcomes. Diet, consumer products, and indoor environments are major sources of exposure. While regulatory approaches are critical, practical interventions to reduce exposure and mitigate health effects are increasingly being explored.

OBJECTIVE

This narrative review synthesizes evidence on interventions that reduce human exposure to EDCs. This review examines if these reductions lead to noticeable health improvements, focusing especially on whether the effects linked to EDCs can be reversed.

METHODS

Human intervention and observational studies assessing dietary, behavioral, residential, and biochemical strategies to reduce internal EDC biomarkers were reviewed.

RESULTS

Dietary interventions, such as reducing consumption of packaged and canned foods, increasing intake of fresh or organic products, and adopting safer food storage practices, consistently lowered urinary levels of bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. Behavioral interventions, including substituting personal care products and avoiding high-exposure consumer products, produced rapid reductions in internal EDC concentrations. Residential interventions targeting indoor air and dust showed promising but limited evidence. Biochemical interventions, including nutritional and metabolic modulation, may mitigate the biological effects of exposure. Finally, emerging data suggest that metabolic dysfunction, lipid abnormalities, and functional reproductive outcomes may be partially reversible. In contrast, cancer and developmental effects from early-life exposure appear less amenable to reversal.

CONCLUSIONS

Lifestyle, environmental, and biochemical interventions can meaningfully reduce internal EDC biomarkers; however, evidence linking these reductions to clinically meaningful health outcomes remains limited and inconclusive. These approaches represent actionable complements to regulatory efforts, though long-term benefits require further study.