Review on Association and Potential Mechanism of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors Exposure and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

The increasing worldwide incidence of metabolic syndrome(MS) is a public concern. Experimental and epidemiological studies indicate associations between exposure of environmental endocrine disruptors(EEDs) and MS risk. However, the underlying pathological mechanism is not clear. The EEDs associated with MS include alkyl phenols, organ chlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl, dioxin, and heavy metals. The present review summarized evidence on the association between EEDs exposure and MS as well as potential mechanism, and concluded that bisphenol A could influence the morphology and function of β cells and induce insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Heavy metals could increase oxidative stress and induce mitochondrial dysfunction that may increase the risks of some metabolic diseases like hypertension and diabetes.