Dioxin – An Ever-Present Carcinogen

Dioxin is a toxic chemical, often a by-product of industrial processes such as waste incineration. Dioxin is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) that also disrupts hormones. It is plentiful and largely unavoidable in our modern world, though there are ways to cut down on overexposure.

How Are We Exposed to Dioxin?

Dioxin is a major environmental pollutant which falls under the persistent organic pollutant (POP) umbrella. Dioxin chemicals don’t break down or go away, so dioxin-based pollutants keep building up on the planet and accumulating in animal tissue, making dioxin a part of our food chain. Because of this, humans predominantly take in dioxin through environmental exposure as well as through eating animal products such as meat and cheese. Some people are exposed to more dioxin than others, for example, those who work in waste management or certain industrial industries.

What Health Issues Are Linked to Dioxin?

Dioxin is a known carcinogen that has been directly linked to various forms of cancer, but the damage doesn’t stop there. It has been connected with a higher risk of developing many issues such as: type 2 diabetes, fertility problems in both genders, birth defects, neurodevelopmental issues for children, immunosuppression, skin disorders, lung, heart and other organ problems.

How Can We Cut Down in Dioxin Exposure?

Pollutants like dioxin are so omnipresent in our world that they are impossible to completely avoid, however, there are measures we can take to strengthen our natural immunity and cut down on dioxin overexposure such as:

• Reduce the amount of animal products you ingest
• Stock up on fresh produce
• Drink lots of filtered water
• Exercise regularly to help strengthen your body and immunity
• If you work an industrial job where you are routinely exposed to more chemicals or toxins, wear protective gear to work such as a chemical filtering mask

Thanks for visiting DocChat! We hope you will return soon. If you have any medical questions, our board certified doctors are around 24/7/365!