Endocrine disruptors are the synthetic or natural chemicals that may interfere with the functioning of the endocrine system in the human body. These chemicals mimic the naturally occurring hormones produced in the body like estrogen (a female sex hormone) and androgen (a male sex hormone) also these interfere with the production of the thyroid hormone. They bind to the receptors present in a cell and prevents the endogenous hormone from binding. The normal signaling process fails to respond properly.
Chemicals that functions as endocrine disruptors include dioxine, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and DDT.
