Thyroid function disruptors: from nature to chemicals

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Environmental Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Thyroid hormones are crucial for development and metabolism.
• Thyroid disruptors are exogenous or endogenous substances affecting the thyroid axis.
• Dietary exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals is a growing public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review dietary thyroid disruptors.
• To highlight compounds affecting the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis.
• To summarize effects from gestation through adulthood.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of in vitro, animal, human, and epidemiological studies.
• Identification of thyroid disruptors present in food, pesticides, and food-contact materials.
• Analysis of effects across the lifespan.

Main Results:

• Identified dietary sources include fish oil, coffee, spices, pesticides, BPA, phthalates, and PBDEs.
• These disruptors can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis, transport, metabolism, and action.
• Effects are observed from prenatal development to adulthood.

Conclusions:

• Dietary exposure to various compounds poses a risk to thyroid function.
• Understanding these disruptors is vital for public health.
• Further research is needed to mitigate risks associated with endocrine disruptors in the diet.