Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, also known as EDCs, are natural or human-made substances that interfere with the healthy functioning of the body’s endocrine system. The endocrine system is made up of glands throughout the body, along with the hormones that these glands produce and receptors that respond to the hormones. Endocrine glands include the pituitary, thymus, pancreas and adrenals. Hormones act like messengers, traveling through the body to deliver instructions that control biological processes ranging from growth and development to sleep, digestion and childbirth. Humans have more than 50 hormones. These include estrogen and testosterone, which help to control sexual development, as...
