Cosmetics, Cookware, Cleaning Supplies & Conventional Food Come At A CO$T!
In the ‘90s, we thought life in plastic was fantastic! But over the last few years, research has been a total buzzkill to that party. Turns out, our convenient to-go containers and plastic bottles come at a cost to our health. But it doesn't stop there—from our food and cosmetics to cleaning supplies, cookware, containers, candles, and poor-quality supplements—few things escape becoming carriers of a chemical cocktail.
Could your toxic burden be a root cause of your brain fog, struggle to lose weight, fatigue, anxiety, depression or serious health condition? Research suggests — indeed it could be (Belmaker et al., 2024; Kumar et al., 2020; Kharrazian, 2021)!
This can be tough to believe because these toxins are ubiquitous, and as such, are accepted as innocuous in today's society. But just as these toxins are pervasive, so too are the exact health problems implicated by their exposure.
While correlation does not prove causation, the strength of the evidence is still high here for the following reasons; In cases like these, we cannot conduct human randomized controlled trials (RCTs); it’s unethical to purposely expose people to potentially harmful chemicals just to see if they develop diseases. Thus, we look to the consistency of epidemiological findings—patterns of disease that repeatedly show up in populations with higher exposure—across diverse groups, combined with extensive mechanistic and animal studies supporting the hypotheses.
We’ll discuss some examples of this below, highlighting how these specific toxins can be harmful to human health.
The Toxic Tipping Point: How Chronic Exposure Disrupts Health
These every day toxins have been shown to contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation. Some even mimic hormones in our body. Together, these toxins are implicated in just about every health problem imaginable, most notably: reproductive dysfunction (PCOS, endometriosis, early puberty, poor pregnancy outcomes, prostatitis), neurological disorders (ADHD, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, depression), thyroid dysfunction, immune dysfunction (autoimmunity), cardiovascular disease (hypertension, high blood pressure), kidney dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and cancer (Kumar et al. 2020).
The liver is designed to filter out toxins, but the increasingly toxic world we live in makes it harder for our livers to keep up with the demand (Prysyazhnyuk et al., 2021). Plus, many of us have genetic predispositions to reduced detox efficiency (stay tuned for my upcoming article on this topic).
The famous saying in toxicology is: “the dosage makes the poison.” Our body is equipped to handle small amounts of toxins through built-in detoxification pathways. However, research suggests that chronic low-level exposure to multiple toxins in the amounts we are currently faced with can be significantly detrimental to our health (Pizzorno, 2022).
While no one can say for sure exactly how much blame these toxins deserve as a contributor to these conditions, it’s safe to confidently say they are at least one of the many puzzle pieces. There is growing concern that they may be a much larger puzzle piece than we previously thought.
Major Toxic Offenders, Sources, and Evidence-Based Risks
See bottom of article for summary of most common symptoms from excess toxic load.
1) Pesticides and Herbicides
- Sources: Greatest amounts of harmful versions are sprayed on non-organic and GMO foods. Glyphosate-based herbicides are pervasively used on grains, coffee, fruits, vegetables, and animal feed in non-organic agriculture. Atrazine is widely applied to corn, sugarcane, and other crops.
- Evidence-Based Risks:
- Glyphosate is classified as “possibly carcinogenic” by the IARC (2015), though regulatory agencies such as the EPA and EFSA consider the evidence inconclusive for human cancer risk.
- Atrazine has been banned in Europe since 2004 due to its potential hormone-disrupting effects and water contamination risks but remains widely used in the U.S.
- Herbicides like glyphosate and atrazine disrupt mitochondria, which are the energy producers of nearly every cell in the body. (Specifically – for my science peeps – glyphosate binds to cytochrome C of the electron transport chain in the mitochondria, disrupting proton gradient and ATP production). This disruption contributes to fatigue, reduced muscular strength, headaches, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer (Swanson & Seneff, 2016).
- Pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate are shown to disrupt gut health (Ignacio et al., 2024). Remember the famous saying “disease begins in the gut”! For example, most researchers believe that autoimmunity and immune dysfunction (such as asthma and allergies) stems from “leaky gut”, or intestinal permeability which causes a loss of immune system tolerance.
- A very recent systematic review looking at the totality of evidence on glyphosate-based herbicides states the evidence is strong enough to implicate the negative effects of glyphosate as a significant contributor to gastrointestinal disorders, and in the pathogenesis of advanced diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Crohn’s (Ignácio et al., 2024).
- Glyphosate may deplete essential nutrients such as iron, iodine, selenium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc (Romano et al., 2021).
2) Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
- Includes: BPA, BPS, BPF, phthalates, parabens, PFAS (also known as forever chemicals because they are not easily broken down), dioxins, PCBs
- Sources: Found in plastics (cups, containers, packaging, Tupperware), canned food, cosmetics (deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soaps, creams, makeup), non-stick pans (contain PFAS).
- Evidence-Based Risks (Belmaker et al., 2024; Kumar et al., 2020):
- Hundreds of studies confirm EDCs interfere with hormones and metabolism, increasing the risk of:
- Reproductive dysfunction (PCOS, endometriosis, early puberty, poor pregnancy outcomes).
- Neurological disorders (ADHD, Alzheimer’s).
- Thyroid dysfunction.
- Immune dysfunction (autoimmunity).
- Cardiovascular disease (hypertension, high blood pressure).
- Kidney dysfunction.
- Obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance.
- Cancers (especially breast, cervical, and prostate)
- Estrogenic effects: EDCs bind to estrogen receptors, either blocking or mimicking estrogen, leading to hormone disruption.
- EDCs also disrupt our mitochondria (energy producers of our cells) thus contributing to a host of diseases and suboptimal functioning of the body.
- Alarming findings from Kumar et al. (2020):
- Infants exposed to high maternal levels of PFOA (type of PFA) in utero had a 3x higher risk of obesity and increased waist circumference by early childhood.
- Exposure to a breakdown product of the pesticide chemical, DDT, increased diabetes risk 5.5 times.
- The highest quartile of PFOA exposure was associated with a 1.8x higher risk of chronic kidney disease and a 2.0x increased risk of hyperuricemia (linked to gout and kidney issues).
3) Nanoplastics & Microplastics
- Sources: Found in plastic packaging, disposable products (cups, plates, etc.), synthetic clothing, bottled drinks, and tap water.
- Evidence-Based Risks (Belmaker et al., 2024; Campen et al., 2024):
- Act as carriers of endocrine disruptors like BPA, phthalates, leading to inflammation and metabolic disruption.
- Rapid accumulation in human organs, especially the brain.
- Human autopsies show an average of 0.5% plastic by weight in brain tissue (Campen et al., 2024).
- This equates to approximately 7 grams (weight of a quarter) of plastic in the brain.
- Raises concerns for cognitive function, mood, hormonal health, and inflammation.
- Found in arterial plaques, contributing to narrowing of arteries and cardiovascular disease.
4) Heavy Metals (Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic)
- Sources: Contaminated food, supplements, water, air.
- Consumer Reports, Clean Label Projects and the FDA found chocolate, Himalayan salt, certain protein powders, rice, drinking water and spices can be contaminated with heavy metals (Clean Label Project, 2025; Consumer Reports 2018, 2019, 2021).
- Many common brands of chocolate contain up to 3x the allowable limit for lead and cadmium (Consumer Reports, 2021).
- Brown rice contains 154 ppb of inorganic arsenic on average, which is 15.4 times higher than the EPA’s drinking water standard of 10 ppb (Su et al., 2023).
- Clean Label Project found that 47% of the protein powders exceeded safety thresholds for toxic metals, and 21% of those were over 2X the California Prop 65 levels.
- Ayurvedic supplements and non-3rd party tested supplements are more commonly contaminated with heavy metals.
- Mercury: Large fish (tuna, swordfish, grouper), mercury dental fillings.
- Lead: Old paint, chocolate.
- Cadmium: Chocolate.
- Arsenic: Unfiltered water (10% of U.S. public water contains unsafe levels), chicken, rice (Rajkumar et al., 2025).
- Evidence-Based Risks (Lanphear et al., 2018; Pizzorno 2019, 2022):
- WHO lists lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium as major global pollutants contributing to disease.
- Cause significant oxidative stress, damaging our DNA and cell membranes
- Also disrupt our mitochondria (energy producers of our cells) thus contributing to a host of diseases and suboptimal functioning of the body.
- Lead (Lanphear et al., 2018; Pizzorno 2019, 2022):
- A research study concluded lead contributes to 18% of all-cause mortality and 28.7–37.4% of cardiac mortality
- Stored in bones and brain, released during bone loss (ex: menopause).
- Postmenopausal women have 39% higher blood lead levels
- Disrupts brain signaling, linked to Alzheimer’s, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and learning difficulties.
- Increases osteoporosis and fracture risk.
- Arsenic (Rajkumar et al., 2025):
- Carcinogenic, significantly increasing the risk of multiple cancers:
- 1.3x more likely to develop liver cancer.
- 1.6x more likely to develop lung cancer.
- 2.5x more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
- 3.30x more likely to develop prostate cancer.
- Also linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, COPD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.
- 20% of the population has genetic polymorphisms impairing arsenic detoxification
- Mercury (Lanphear et al., 2018; Pizzorno 2019):
- Accumulates in the brain, leading to neurotoxicity, high blood pressure, heart disease, memory issues, anxiety, and depression.
- Omega-3s and selenium help mitigate mercury toxicity.
- Reducing heavy metal exposure has profound health benefits (Pizzorno, 2022):
- A study found that reducing lead and cadmium exposure from 1988 to 2004 accounted for 38% of the reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality.
5) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Sources: Found in paints, household cleaners, and fuel emissions.
- Evidence-Based Risks:
- Respiratory issues.
- Neurological damage.
- Increased cancer risk.
NOW WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THIS?
You may feel hopeless after reading all this; I know I had fleeting moments of that while writing this article. However, we have hope and solutions that won’t require us to overhaul our life overnight!
And hopefully more decision makers read some of this research to be encouraged to implement the necessary changes to reduce our world’s toxic burden so we don’t have to fight an uphill battle.
Do you want to test your toxic burden or a customized detox plan?
Summary of Common Symptoms of Toxicity:
1. Heavy Metal Toxicity (Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic)
- Neurological Issues: Memory loss, anxiety, depression, ADHD, brain fog, learning difficulties.
- Reproductive Dysfunction: Increased risk of infertility, miscarriages, and developmental issues in offspring.
- Cardiovascular Problems: Increased blood pressure, heart disease, and elevated risk of stroke.
- Gastrointestinal Disorders: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and indigestion.
- Kidney Dysfunction: Increased risk of chronic kidney disease and kidney damage.
- Cancer: Increased risk of liver, lung, prostate, and other cancers.
- Osteoporosis: Increased risk of fractures, especially from lead exposure.
2. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
- Hormonal Imbalance: Estrogenic effects, altered menstrual cycles, and early puberty.
- Reproductive Disorders: Conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, and poor pregnancy outcomes.
- Thyroid Dysfunction: Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and autoimmune thyroid disease.
- Neurological Symptoms: ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and mood disturbances.
- Metabolic Disorders: Obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
- Cardiovascular Disease: Hypertension, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular dysfunction.
- Cancers: Particularly breast, prostate, and cervical cancers.
- Immune System Dysfunction: Increased risk of autoimmunity and allergies.
3. Pesticide Toxicity (Glyphosate, Atrazine, etc.)
- Neurological Issues: Fatigue, memory loss, headaches, and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Muscle Weakness: Reduced muscular strength and overall fatigue.
- Gastrointestinal Disturbances: Gut dysbiosis, IBS, Crohn's disease, and other gut-related disorders.
- Endocrine Disruption: Hormonal imbalances affecting reproductive organs and thyroid function.
- Increased Cancer Risk: Especially for cancers linked to gastrointestinal health and breast cancer.
- Weight Gain and Obesity: Through mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic disruption.
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