Vol. 7, Special Issue 2 (2025)

Xenoestrogens are chemicals that mimic our body's natural hormone estrogen, acting as endocrine disruptors by disrupting the normal functioning of the endocrine system. Chemicals which mimic endogenous hormones or interfere with endocrine processes are collectively called endocrine disruptors. These xenoestrogen are broadly categories into natural and synthetic xenoestrogen. Natural xenoestrogen consist phytoestrogen, mycoestrogen, and alkaloid substance that are present in plants. Synthetic xenoestrogen contain chemicals that are present in UV filters, food preservatives, personal care products, coolant, pesticides etc. These chemicals are mainly present in plastic bottles like plastic food container, sunscreen bottle, lotion bottles, and pesticide also. In addition to this paraben is also a chemical that is also present in cosmetics bottles as preservatives which also cause same health disorder like xenoestrogen. These compounds are structurally or functionally related to human sex hormone 17β-estradiol. Due to the presence of these chemical in our body, our body’s estrogen receptor get confused because it can bind to estrogen receptors in the body, leading to a cascade of effects that disrupt normal hormone function and cause several health disorders like hormonal imbalancement, metabolic disorders, irregular periods, decrease sperm count, obesity, early puberty, insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunction and risk of cancer. The rate of the effect of these chemicals is also depends upon the concentration of these chemical present into the body of living beings. Sometime these chemical can show their adverse effect in minimum concentration also. The true risk to humans is a controversial issue; to date, little evidence exists for clear cut relationships between xenoestrogen exposure and major human health concerns. However, because of the complexity of their mechanism and potential for adverse effects, much interest remains in learning how xenoestrogens affect normal estrogen signaling. These disorders are the major issue of concern now. To minimize exposure to xenoestrogens and their potential side effects, prioritize organic foods, avoid plastic containers, filter water, and choose safer personal care products.