Endocrine disruptors and fertility: the complete guide

A simple definition

An endocrine disruptor is a substance that mimics, blocks or interferes with the action of natural hormones. The term covers very different molecules, of industrial or natural origin.

The mechanism, in two sentences

Hormones circulate at very low doses and deliver their messages by binding to cell receptors. A substance with a similar shape can occupy or block those receptors, or alter how hormones are produced and cleared, and in doing so disturb functions such as ovulation or sperm production.

What reference agencies say

France's ANSES and Inserm call in particular for better study of the “cocktail effect” — combined exposure to several substances, still poorly captured by conventional methods that test one molecule at a time. The World Health Organization documents endocrine disruptors as a public health concern.

These positions call for caution and further research. They do not establish that a given exposure causes infertility in a given person.

Exploring disruptors by everyday context

The sheets below set out where each substance is found, the suspected mechanism, its level of evidence and a concrete alternative.