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the mothers' breast milk, and finally, the children were monitored The fact that early puberty is a known risk factor for breast can- as they grew into puberty. What was found was that boys cer should be of great concern to all parents, and all possible pre- exposed to DDE and girls exposed to PCBs were heavier than cautions must be taken to safeguard children from unnecessary their unexposed peers were. The study also found that girls with exposure. No one really knows the long-term consequences of high prenatal PCB exposure tended to hit the first stages of early sexual development. This is an unprecedented experiment puberty a bit earlier."* on our children. In fact, the most significant guilty party is looking more and Hardly a minute goes by without our being exposed to some more like endocrine disruptors. Circulating around the world are chemical. It may be from car exhaust, room freshener, artificial thousands of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals which are now fragrances, a McDonald's hamburger and Coke, baby shampoo, found everywhere—in our food, water and the air we breathe. dry cleaning, coloured popcorn, furniture polish, the fire retardant Events occurring in Puerto Rico have helped unravel this puz- on new school clothes, plastic water bottles, dry cleaning, fly zling trend. For the past two decades, Puerto Rico has recorded the spray, and on and on it goes. Beginning in utero, our children are highest known incidence of premature breast development. It was accumulating chemicals in their bodies little by little, day in and discovered that girls as young as two years of age were developing day out, for years and years. For some children, the effects may breasts. Several reasons have been cited for this situation. Firstof | become evident quickly; for others, it may take many years or all, most of these children were fed soy infant formulas. A 1997 decades before the real harm—the cancers, the multiple sensitivi- Lancet study showed that soy has plant-based chemicals that ties, the behavioural problems, the learning disabilities and the mimic oestrogen, displaying a wide range of hormonal activities. infertility—becomes apparent. The daily exposure in infants who consumed soy formulas was 6 to 11 times higher than in adults who consumed soy foods. In fact, HORMONES IN THE FOOD SUPPLY the blood concentrations of these hormones in the children were Commercial beef and pasteurised dairy products consistently 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than oestrogen levels normally have the highest levels of persistent hormone disruptors. As of found in the blood! * 1995, the US Food and _ Drug Clues have also emerged, impli- Administration allowed the use of cating endocrine disruptors. Ina implanted hormonal agents for raising significant study, the early breast beef cattle. These include the female hor- development of the Puerto Rican Commercial beef and mones oestradiol and progesterone, the children was linked to exposure to . . synthetic progesterone norgestomet, the phthalates, a ubiquitous chemical pasteurised dairy products male hormone testosterone and the syn- plasticiser. The researchers mea- consistently have the highest thetic anabolic steroids trenbolene and sured the presence of certain phtha- Zeranol. Growth agents that do not have lates in the blood of 41 girls experi- levels of persistent hormone to be implanted include a progestin that encing early breast development and disruptors. can be added to the animals' feed. made comparisons with a control Animals given these hormonal agents are group. The average age was 31 not required to go through a withdrawal months. They found that 68 per period prior to slaughter. Indeed, the cent of the precocious puberty girls FDA does not require mandatory record- had high levels of phthalates in their ing of medication or treatment of animals blood.'* destined for our plates. Phthalates have infiltrated our world. They are in common Three natural hormones (oestradiol-178, testosterone and prog- industrial chemicals that make plastics flexible without sacrificing esterone) and two synthetic substances (trenbolone and Zeranol) strength or durability. They are found in building materials, food are also approved for use in many other countries, including packaging and food wrap, toys and other children's products, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. medical devices, garden hoses, shoe soles, automobile undercoat- Hormones in beef have serious oestrogenic and carcinogenic ing, wires and cables, carpet backing, carpet tiles, vinyl tiles, effects—effects which the cancer establishment, the FDA and the swimming pool liners, artificial leather, canvas tarpaulins, note- cattle industry have been well aware of for decades. Yet the real book covers, tool handles, dishwasher baskets, flea collars, insect dangers they pose, especially when it comes to women and breast repellents, skin emollients, hairsprays, nail polish and perfumes. cancer, have remained in the shadows until only recently.'* (Non- John Peterson "Pete" Myers, co-author of Our Stolen Future, organic meats like pork, veal, lamb and poultry, although uncont- agrees. "Contamination in the womb can speed or retard sexual aminated by sex hormones, contain pesticides and a wide range of development," Myers said. "These compounds interfere with hor- veterinary drugs.) mones that control the pace and pattern of development.""* Not surprisingly, a random survey in 1986 found that up to half Chemicals that are suspected of having effects on sexual devel- of all cattle sampled in feedlots in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, opment include bisphenol-A and polybrominated biphenyls, Nebraska and Oklahoma had hormone pellets illegally implanted chemicals found in plastic, and phthalates, which are found in in muscle tissue rather than under the ear. This practice led to cosmetics.'” higher absorption of hormones from the implants and very much Hormone disruptors, like silent saboteurs, have invaded the higher residues that even the FDA admitted could have "adverse highly sensitive endocrine systems of our children. Whether from effects”.!" toxins in the environment, or hormone-laden meat and dairy prod- According to Dr Samuel Epstein, Professor of Occupational and ucts or chemical-laced foods and household products, exposure to Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of dangerous chemicals has reached a level unprecedented in the Public Health: "Records of hormone levels in beef, obtained entire history of human civilisation. Is there any wonder why pre- under the Federal Freedom of Information Act from the FDA, cocious puberty is a worldwide phenomenon? show that even when ranchers implant single hormone pellets The fact that early puberty is a known risk factor for breast can- cer should be of great concern to all parents, and all possible pre- cautions must be taken to safeguard children from unnecessary exposure. No one really knows the long-term consequences of early sexual development. This is an unprecedented experiment on our children. Hardly a minute goes by without our being exposed to some chemical. It may be from car exhaust, room freshener, artificial fragrances, a McDonald's hamburger and Coke, baby shampoo, dry cleaning, coloured popcorn, furniture polish, the fire retardant on new school clothes, plastic water bottles, dry cleaning, fly spray, and on and on it goes. Beginning in utero, our children are accumulating chemicals in their bodies little by little, day in and day out, for years and years. For some children, the effects may become evident quickly; for others, it may take many years or decades before the real harm—the cancers, the multiple sensitivi- ties, the behavioural problems, the learning disabilities and the infertility—becomes apparent. pasteurised dairy products consistently have the highest avo EY fan =P Ve ge nnn levels of persistent hormone disruptors. destined for our plates. Three natural hormones (oestradiol-178, testosterone and prog- esterone) and two synthetic substances (trenbolone and Zeranol) are also approved for use in many other countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Hormones in beef have serious oestrogenic and carcinogenic effects—effects which the cancer establishment, the FDA and the cattle industry have been well aware of for decades. Yet the real dangers they pose, especially when it comes to women and breast cancer, have remained in the shadows until only recently.'* (Non- organic meats like pork, veal, lamb and poultry, although uncont- aminated by sex hormones, contain pesticides and a wide range of veterinary drugs.) Not surprisingly, a random survey in 1986 found that up to half of all cattle sampled in feedlots in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma had hormone pellets illegally implanted in muscle tissue rather than under the ear. This practice led to higher absorption of hormones from the implants and very much higher residues that even the FDA admitted could have "adverse effects"."” According to Dr Samuel Epstein, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health: "Records of hormone levels in beef, obtained under the Federal Freedom of Information Act from the FDA, show that even when ranchers implant single hormone pellets APRIL — MAY 2004 NEXUS + 23 Commercial beef and www.nexusmagazine.com