Dietary compounds in relation to dietary diversity and human health

The human diet contains numerous endocrine-active compounds that influence mammalian physiology. The effects of these dietary compounds may be mediated by interaction with well-characterized intracellular hormone receptors or by other effects on patterns of endogenous hormone production, metabolism, target tissue signaling, growth, or differentiation. Because humans evolved as omnivores, the spectrum of dietary compounds that can be tolerated at modest levels of intake without frank toxicity is broad. Modest intake of these diverse nonnutritive endocrine-active compounds offers potential human health benefits through modulation of metabolic and hormonal responses, especially in sedentary individuals consuming a highly refined diet.