estrogen-phytoestrogen

Our [|PSA] =Abstract:=

Taylor:
Estrogen is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and fat tissues, but may also be taken as a supplement. When estrogen levels are low in females, the supplement may be taken to balance things out. Estrogen supplements ease women through her menopause years, play a role in bone maintenance, cause changes in the breasts during adolescence and pregnancy, and regulates various other metabolic processes.

Taking estrogen may lead to many different things such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, learning disabilities and behavior changes. For women they could face higher risks of breast and reproductive organ tissue cancers, fibrocystic disease of the breast, polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and pelvic inflammatory diseases. For men, most of the health effects fall under what is called testicular dysgenisis syndrome. Natural and supplementary estrogens are excreted in the urine of both, humans and animals. Most of these flows right into wastewater are discharged into environments without processing. Scientists believe that estrogen discharge is most likely increasing in urban areas. This could be disrupting innate regulatory mechanisms and might lead into developmental disorders, infertility and other reproductive complications.

There should be no action taken on banning estrogen supplements. As long as doctors are on top of their patient’s help and estrogen levels there should be no connection to cancer or disease. A woman needs estrogen in her body to survive and needs a lot of it. If the supplements were not available they would sure be eating a lot of unnecessary grains & beans which contain no where near as much phytoestrogens(food form of estrogen) as the supplements provide. The environmental risks are not yet bad enough for those with high estrogen levels to ban the product.

Lauren:
=Background Information:=

Taylor:
Estrogen is a hormone necessary for childbearing and is involved with bone and heart health in women. Estrogen is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands and fat tissues, but may also be taken as a supplement. Estrogen eases a women through her menopause years, plays a role in bone maintenance, causes changes in the breasts during adolescence and pregnancy, and regulates various other metabolic processes, including bone growth and cholesterol levels, circulates the bloodstream, and may control the growth of the uterine lining. It is not yet not clear whether eating foods rich in phytoestrogens decreases breast cancer risk or not. The studies have shown a pattern but there has no yet been enough research put into it. Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like chemicals found in plant foods such as beans, seeds, and grains. The three main types of phytoestrogens are Isoplavonoids, Lignans, and Coumestans. Each of the three types is unique and is found in different types of legumes, soy, and grains.

Lauren:
=Synthesis/Production:=

Synthesis of estrogens starts in [|theca interna] cells in the ovary, by the synthesis of [|androstenedione] from [|cholesterol]. Androstenedione is a substance of moderate androgenic activity. This compound crosses the [|basal membrane] into the surrounding [|granulosa cells], where it is converted to estrone or estradiol, either immediately or through testosterone. =Human Health Implications:= Estrogen can mess with many things. It can have problems in not just animals but humans too. In humans it causes problems in the endocrine system. A problem that can occur in this system is blocking or altering hormones and their signaling systems.

Hormones work with the immune and nervous systems to regulate growth, reproduction, metabolism, immunity, cognition, and behavior. Taking estrogen may lead to many different things such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, learning disabilities and behavior changes. For women they could face higher risks of breast and reproductive organ tissue cancers, fibrocystic disease of the breast, polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and pelvic inflammatory diseases. For men, most of the health effects fall under what is called testicular dysgenisis syndrome. Daughters of mothers who took the synthetic estrogen during pregnancy have higher rates of reproductive problems, reproductive cancer.

Estrogen isn’t always bad. With age or with certain diseases that come with age, estrogen levels might not be as high as they need to me. This is when taking estrogen is necessary to an extent to keep your hormones at the appropriate levels to regulate growth, reproduction, etc.

=Environmental Implications:=

http://news.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-3/Carnegie-Mellon--USDA-report-that-Fe-TAML-catalysts-degrade-estrogenic-compounds-6170-2/

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=520912

Natural estrogens are excreted in the urine of both, humans and animals. Most of this flows right into wastewater are discharged into environments without processing. Scientist believe that estrogen discharge is most likely increasing in urban areas. Some scientists have suggested that environmental estrogens might be able to interfere with estrogen-controlled systems in wildlife and humans. This could be disrupting innate regulatory mechanisms and might lead into developmental disorders, infertility and other reproductive complications.

Example: “In the Columbia River, a recent study found that about 25 percent of the otters and muskrats were anatomically deformed. Estrogenic pollution kills birds, panthers, alligators, old men, young women, fish, seals, babies, and ecosystems. Some of these chemicals are sprayed on forests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where they enter lakes, underwater aquifers, rivers, and oceans. Private businesses spray them on farms and orchards, or put them into the air as smoke or vapors, or dump them directly into rivers. Homeowners put them on their lawns and gardens.”

Chemical Formula for estrogen: C18H24O2

=Economic/Political Impact:= If today estrogen was banned to men and women, it would highly effect our society. Women already have estrogen in their body, that is something that makes them a woman. If women don’t have enough estrogen in their body, which would most likely be a women in the late 40’s early 50’s it would result in menopause. Menopause side effects are hot flashes, change of weight, and being moody, or depressed. It can be very painful and uncomfortable. Taking estrogen can help cure the pain and make women more comfortable. Men need it to essentially metabolize testosterone related hormones. If men didn’t have estrogen then that can result in less hormones, and more feminism. The U.S imports lots of estrogen from places like China and Japan; the U.S. are strong supporters of estrogen. There are not yet any political ramifications of banning this chemical.

=Summary:=

Taylor:
Like said before, no actions should be taken place to ban estrogen supplements. Although there are risks of cancer, the risks will not be there if women have the correct levels of estrogen. As long as doctors stay on top of their jobs and patients respect their bodies, everything will be okay. The factories creating the supplements will still be open and no jobs will be lost. Yes, estrogen is released into drinking water, but the risk is not yet high enough to be a concern to society.