early menopause and chemical exposure research
19 Apr 2011

Early menopause and chemical exposure: research

2 mins to read
Watching the evening news recently, I saw a report on a study, published in the April 2011 edition of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, that suggested there could be a link between early menopause and exposure to an environmental pollutant named PFC, or perflurocarbons to be exact.


Watching the evening news recently, I saw a report on a study, published in the April 2011 edition of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, that suggested there could be a link between early menopause and exposure to an environmental pollutant named PFC, or perflurocarbons to be exact.

Perfluro-what? I was as confused as you probably are! So I put my detective hat on and found that, on further investigation, PFCs are a man-made chemical used in numerous household products. They can be found in:

  • Plastic containers
  • Carpets and carpet cleaning products (for their water resistant properties)
  • Cosmetics – those that deliver oxygen to the skin
  • Fridges
  • Microwave popcorn lining
  • Teflon cookware
  • Synthetic clothing

The study, which looked at over 25,000 women, suggested that PFCs may disrupt hormones in women who are exposed and therefore bring on early menopause.

The risks of developing osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease may be higher for women with early menopause than for women who reach menopause at their expected age. Also, as PFCs can disrupt hormones, infertility may occur at an earlier age in women with early menopause.

Fully avoiding PFCs is nearly impossible, as they have a long life in the environment and can turn up in the atmosphere, soil, plant life and in our drinking water. However, you can take a few extra steps to minimise your exposure. Try:

  • Heating your food in glass or ceramic, not plastic
  • Cooking with stainless steel or cast iron, not Teflon
  • Laying floorboards instead of carpets and using natural carpet cleaning products.
  • Using cotton and natural clothing instead of synthetic
  • Using natural cosmetics

In my opinion, the conclusion is the same for most things: stay as close to nature as possible.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab published March 16, 2011 as doi:10.1210/jc.2010-2401



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