When most people think about osteoporosis, they think about calcium, vitamin D, exercise, and nutrition. Few people think about the chemicals in food packaging, plastic containers, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, or household products. Yet researchers are increasingly studying whether certain environmental chemicals may play a role in bone loss and osteoporosis.
These substances are known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) because they can interfere with the body’s hormonal signaling systems. Since hormones play a critical role in maintaining healthy bones, scientists are asking an important question: Could long-term exposure to these chemicals affect our skeletal health?
What Are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals?
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are substances that can mimic, block, or interfere with hormones. Hormones act as the body’s chemical messengers, regulating everything from growth and metabolism to reproduction and bone remodeling.
Examples of endocrine disrupting chemicals include:
Bisphenol A (BPA): These are found in some plastic containers, food containers, water bottles, the lining of some metal cans, and some receipts.
Phthalates: These substances are used to make plastics softer and more flexible. They are also found in some personal care products, fragrances, food packaging, and household items.
PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): These are a very large group of chemicals used since the 1940s to make products resistant to water, grease, and stains. They are found in many common products including non-stick cookware, water-resistant fabrics, food packaging, cosmetics, medical equipment, and firefighting foams. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the environment or the human body, leading to accumulation and possibly serious health risks.
What Do They Have to Do with Our Bones?
Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and rebuilt – a process called remodeling. This process is carefully regulated by hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormone, parathyroid hormone, and vitamin D.
Researchers have found that some endocrine disrupting chemicals may interfere with these hormonal pathways. Laboratory and animal studies suggest that certain chemicals may affect the activity of bone-building cells (osteoblasts) and bone-resorbing cells (osteoclasts). Other studies suggest they may contribute to chronic inflammation or oxidative stress, both of which can negatively affect bone health.
Human studies have reported associations between higher levels of some endocrine disrupting chemicals and lower bone mineral density. However, it is important to understand that the science is still evolving. While the evidence is growing, researchers have not yet proven that these chemicals directly cause osteoporosis.
Should We Be Worried?
Most of us are exposed to small amounts of these chemicals every day. The concern is not a single exposure, but rather the potential effects of lifelong, cumulative exposure.
Environmental exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals is only one possible piece of a much larger bone health puzzle. Well-established, evidence-based factors such as physical activity, nutrition, smoking status, hormone balance, and certain medications are known to have a much greater influence on skeletal health.
At the same time, endocrine disrupting chemicals represent one of many factors that may contribute to osteoporosis risk over a lifetime. Because reducing exposure is often simple and low-cost, many experts believe it makes sense to take reasonable precautions while researchers continue to investigate their long-term effects on bone health.
Practical Ways to Reduce Exposure
Although completely avoiding endocrine-disrupting chemicals is unrealistic, several practical steps may help reduce exposure. These could include:
- limiting highly processed and packaged foods
- storing food in glass or stainless steel instead of plastic when possible
- avoiding heating food in plastic containers
- reducing use of products containing added fragrances
- choosing fresh foods over canned foods when feasible
- minimizing unnecessary handling of thermal paper receipts
- keeping indoor spaces as well-ventilated as possible
The Bottom Line
The study of endocrine disrupting chemicals is a rapidly developing area of research. Scientists are increasingly finding evidence that environmental exposures may influence many aspects of health, including bone health. While we still have much to learn about cause and effect, taking simple steps to reduce exposure is a reasonable part of a bone-healthy lifestyle.
Park SY, Kong SH, Kim KJ, Ahn SH, Hong N, Ha J, Lee S, Choi HS, Baek KH, Kim JE, Kim SW. Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals on Bone Health. Endocrinology and Metabolism 2024;39(4):539-551.
Shulhai AM, Palanza P, Street ME. Current Evidence on the Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) on Bone Growth and Health. Exposure and Health 2024;16: 1001–1025.
