When having your period exposes us to endocrine disruptors

During their fertile years, half of the population uses menstrual products several days a month. Their continued use in direct contact with the genitals exposes menstruating people to the chemicals present in their composition. These include plasticizers, which are typically added to plastics to make them more flexible and can be harmful to health. This is the case with phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and are known to be present in high concentrations. However, other additives other than phthalates were unknown in menstrual products.

Researchers from the Institute for Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC) have studied the presence of phthalates and, for the first time, two other families of plasticizers in 41 menstrual products, both disposable—pads, panty liners, and tampons—and cloth pads.

The plasticizers studied are organophosphate esters—which, like phthalates, can act as endocrine disruptors—and alternative plasticizers, new compounds whose potential toxicity is unknown.

The results of the study indicate the presence of the three plastic additives in all the products analyzed, which "indicates that the use of menstrual products is a route of exposure to endocrine disruptors worth taking into account," says Ethel Eljarrat, director of IDAEA and author of the study. Therefore, Eljarrat and her team continue their research to determine to what extent the vaginal and vulvar mucous membranes are a route of entry for these substances. "Our research is now focused on developing methods that allow us to determine the percentages of transfer of the compounds from the product to the skin and absorption through vaginal tissues," adds the researcher.

Women, more vulnerable

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can alter our hormonal system. As Léa Maitre, Ramón y Cajal researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), explains, their effects on health are diverse: "They can affect the immune system, interfere with insulin metabolism, and, in the case of women, they can alter reproductive health—the menstrual and fertility cycle—and increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer."

Women's vulnerability to endocrine disruptors is related to specific physical and biological characteristics. According to endocrinologist Carme Valls-Llobet, author of the book Environment and health: Women and men in a world of new risks (2018), women are more sensitive to these compounds because they have more fat than men, and fat acts as a reservoir for these chemicals. "The endocrine disruptor can act in many ways," Valls-Llobet points out, "but the most explosive effect is the alteration of the menstrual cycle."

On the other hand, Maitre, who studies the impact of endocrine disruptors on the health of pregnant women and adolescents, points out that an important risk factor for these substances is being exposed during pregnancy. This can affect the neurological development of the child, cause behavioral and mental health problems, and increase the risk of developing ADHD, among other effects.

One more source of exposure

Menstrual products are not the only source of exposure to endocrine disruptors. We are also exposed through food, insecticides found in some foods; cosmetics and personal care products, as well as through air, dust, and water.

In the specific case of phthalates, organophosphate esters, and alternative plasticizers, exposure can occur both through inhalation and through skin contact, either through the skin or through the mouth. packaging from products, fragrances from hygiene products or new furniture and cars.

Many toxins are already present in the environment, and even if we stopped producing more, they would continue to persist in the environment for a long time, because it is very difficult to eliminate them. "Chemicals travel: we have found heavy metals and PFAS as far as the North and South Poles," says Maitre.

Yes, on an individual scale, what we can do is reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors by adopting simple habits: minimize the use of plastic in food and personal care products, buy organic products, purchase secondhand items, ventilate closed spaces well and wash our hands frequently. As for menstrual products, Carme Valls-Llobet's recommendation is clear: "Use a menstrual cup."

Transparency and regulation

Beyond individual actions, according to the endocrinologist, it is necessary to regulate the production and disposal of these products at the national and European levels.

This is also the demand of the Rezero Foundation, which works for a society free of waste and toxins and, together with the IDAEA, promoted research into the presence of chemicals in menstrual products. Rezero calls for the application of the precautionary principle and the prohibition of the presence of toxic substances in these products. The organization also denounces the lack of transparency in labeling, which often fails to provide information on ingredients or potential health effects. "Rigorous and clear information should be a legal obligation, not an option, and would help consumers make free and informed decisions," says Marta Beltran, director of international strategy and health at Rezero.