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block or inhibit the action of hormones and finally persuade a wide range of harmful
effects that may be metabolic and immunological, cardiovascular, developmental,
neurological, and reproductive. The increased accumulating evidence of EDCs in
our environment as persistent organic pollutants, bisphenol A, and phthalates may
also illustrate their important role in the occurrence of metabolic diseases (obesity,
T2D, and metabolic syndrome). This chapter will provide us information that how
EDCs can influence the gut microbiome and finally lead to the development of
metabolic disorders.
Keywords EDCs-induced diabetes · Gut dysbiosis · EDCs-induced obesity ·
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Introduction
In our daily lives, chemicals are considered as an essential component. But there
are some chemicals that exert harmful effects on the body’s endocrine (hormone)
system and are known as endocrine disruptors. Only a small amount of hormones
are required for their action and for the regulation of the body’s development, hormones need a specific time [1]. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
provides a definition of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). According to
EPA, “EDCs are the exogenous substances that modify the functions of endocrine
system and subsequently can cause harmful effects to a healthy organism, or its
progeny, populations, or sub-population” [2]. EDCs are known to interfere with
binding actions and elimination, metabolism, transport, synthesis, and secretion.
They have the ability to imitate the presence of many blood-borne hormones. EDCs
contain a variety of chemicals including environmental pollutants, pesticides, and
most of the compounds which are used in the consumer products and in the plastic
industry [3, 4]. They are common and found everywhere on Earth. Exposure to
EDCs poses significant health issues to human populations as well as wildlife [3,
4]. Some EDCs are known to have long half-lives, cannot be easily metabolized,
and because of their lipophilicity [for example, organochlorine pesticides, such as
heavy metals dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and dioxins] can be easily
reserved in the adipose tissues for years [5]. However, there are many other EDCs
that can be metabolized rapidly in the human body or in the environment. They are
commonly found in our daily used products like bisphenol A (BPA) which can also
exert harmful effects if exposure occurs during critical period of development [3].
The concept of EDCs was proposed for the first about 20 years ago when a large
number of observations about their detrimental effects on the development of
reproductive system and on the gender discrimination focused on the interference
of EDCs with hormones related to sex steroid [6]. Many chemicals possess properties like endocrine- disrupting chemicals, including polybrominated flame retardants, bisphenol A, perfluorinated substances, some organochlorines, polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, alkylphenols, phthalates, and some household
F. Fiayyaz et al.
block or inhibit the action of hormones and finally persuade a wide range of harmful
effects that may be metabolic and immunological, cardiovascular, developmental,
neurological, and reproductive. The increased accumulating evidence of EDCs in
our environment as persistent organic pollutants, bisphenol A, and phthalates may
also illustrate their important role in the occurrence of metabolic diseases (obesity,
T2D, and metabolic syndrome). This chapter will provide us information that how
EDCs can influence the gut microbiome and finally lead to the development of
metabolic disorders.
Keywords EDCs-induced diabetes · Gut dysbiosis · EDCs-induced obesity ·
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals
Introduction
In our daily lives, chemicals are considered as an essential component. But there
are some chemicals that exert harmful effects on the body’s endocrine (hormone)
system and are known as endocrine disruptors. Only a small amount of hormones
are required for their action and for the regulation of the body’s development, hormones need a specific time [1]. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
provides a definition of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). According to
EPA, “EDCs are the exogenous substances that modify the functions of endocrine
system and subsequently can cause harmful effects to a healthy organism, or its
progeny, populations, or sub-population” [2]. EDCs are known to interfere with
binding actions and elimination, metabolism, transport, synthesis, and secretion.
They have the ability to imitate the presence of many blood-borne hormones. EDCs
contain a variety of chemicals including environmental pollutants, pesticides, and
most of the compounds which are used in the consumer products and in the plastic
industry [3, 4]. They are common and found everywhere on Earth. Exposure to
EDCs poses significant health issues to human populations as well as wildlife [3,
4]. Some EDCs are known to have long half-lives, cannot be easily metabolized,
and because of their lipophilicity [for example, organochlorine pesticides, such as
heavy metals dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and dioxins] can be easily
reserved in the adipose tissues for years [5]. However, there are many other EDCs
that can be metabolized rapidly in the human body or in the environment. They are
commonly found in our daily used products like bisphenol A (BPA) which can also
exert harmful effects if exposure occurs during critical period of development [3].
The concept of EDCs was proposed for the first about 20 years ago when a large
number of observations about their detrimental effects on the development of
reproductive system and on the gender discrimination focused on the interference
of EDCs with hormones related to sex steroid [6]. Many chemicals possess properties like endocrine- disrupting chemicals, including polybrominated flame retardants, bisphenol A, perfluorinated substances, some organochlorines, polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, alkylphenols, phthalates, and some household
F. Fiayyaz et al.