Endocrine-disrupting chemicals remain firmly in the health spotlight in 2025 - not because they’re new, but because research continues to reveal just how subtly and persistently they can influence human biology.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are chemicals that can interfere with the body’s hormone systems, often at very low levels. Substances such as bisphenols (including BPA), phthalates, and PFAS are now widespread in modern life, appearing in plastics, food packaging, personal care products, and household items. As a result, exposure is often ongoing and unavoidable.

What’s increasingly clear is that these chemicals don’t act in isolation. Instead, they interact with the endocrine system over time, influencing metabolism, reproduction, stress response, and neurodevelopment - sometimes long before symptoms appear.

Metabolic health: when hormones don’t behave as expected

One of the most consistent areas of concern is metabolic health. Endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure has been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes, not simply through calorie balance or lifestyle choices, but through hormonal disruption.

Research shows that certain endocrine disruptors can:

• alter fat cell development
• interfere with insulin signalling
• disrupt neuroendocrine pathways involved in appetite and energy regulation
• influence gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms

This helps explain why some individuals struggle with weight, blood sugar regulation, or energy levels despite making appropriate lifestyle changes. In these cases, understanding how hormones are functioning across the day can be particularly valuable.

The Advanced DUTCH Test offers clinicians and individuals insight into cortisol rhythm, sex hormone balance, and hormone metabolism patterns, helping to contextualise metabolic symptoms that may otherwise appear unexplained.

Reproductive and neurodevelopmental effects across the lifespan

The reproductive system and developing brain are especially sensitive to hormonal disruption. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been associated with:

• altered pubertal timing
• menstrual and androgen imbalances
• impaired fertility
• neurodevelopmental delays in children

Some studies suggest that endocrine disruption may even have transgenerational effects, with exposures in one generation influencing health outcomes in subsequent generations. This highlights the importance of understanding hormone regulation over time, rather than relying on single-point measurements.

For clinicians, broader hormone pattern analysis, such as that provided by the Advanced DUTCH Test, can offer deeper insight into oestrogen metabolism, androgen activity, and stress-hormone dynamics. For individuals, this can help explain symptoms that feel disconnected or difficult to pin down.

Regulation is evolving, but exposure remains part of modern life

Across Europe, regulatory frameworks such as REACH continue to evolve in response to growing evidence around endocrine disruption. Professional endocrine societies have also called for greater investment in research to better understand low-dose, long-term chemical exposure and its health implications.

While regulation is important, exposure remains part of daily life. This makes understanding individual hormone responses more relevant than ever.

From exposure to response: why hormone pattern testing matters

Not everyone exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals experiences the same symptoms. Genetics, stress, nutrition, liver function, and gut health all influence how the body responds and adapts.

Rather than asking only “What was the exposure?”, clinicians increasingly ask:

• How is the endocrine system functioning now?
• Are stress hormones well regulated?
• How effectively are hormones being metabolised and cleared?

The Advanced DUTCH Test supports these questions by providing a comprehensive view of hormone patterns over time. For patients, this can bring clarity and reassurance. For clinicians, it supports more personalised, informed decision-making.

A calmer, more informed way forward

The conversation around endocrine-disrupting chemicals can easily become overwhelming. But the goal isn’t alarm, it’s understanding.

By focusing on how the body is responding rather than on fear of exposure alone, patients and clinicians can work together to support hormone balance, resilience, and long-term health.

At i-screen, we believe that better insight leads to better conversations, and ultimately, better care.