Endocrine disruptor is understood as any chemical substance external to the organism that possesses the hormonal activity and that, once introduced into the organism, simulates, interferes or blocks the production, metabolism or action of the body’s own hormones. This can cause adverse effects on the health of the intact organism or its offspring. That is, having the ability to act as hormonal messengers, generate significant changes in the body, which include: sterility, loss of reproductive capacity, death, deformations in the reproductive organs, decreased immune system responses and tumors.

The term was coined in the 1990s mainly to define a diverse and heterogeneous set of exogenous chemical compounds. In fact, there are many products that contain substances that act as endocrine disruptors, both in personal or environmental cleaning products, pesticides, construction components, packaging, plastics, among others. But these substances can also be found in foods or in their containers.
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