Research progress on food-derived antioxidants for alleviating toxicity of endocrine disrupting chemicals

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of chemical substances widely present in daily-life environment, and can enter human body through various pathways, posing a threat to reproductive development and health. Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the most important fundamental mechanisms underlying the reproductive toxicity of EDCs. Numerous studies have found that exposure to EDCs can increase the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human reproductive system and reduce the activity and quantity of multiple enzymatic antioxidants, leading to oxidative stress and inducing damage to the reproductive system at various levels such as DNA and cells. Many research results have shown that supplementing food-derived non-enzymatic antioxidants can reduce ROS levels and increase the activity of enzymatic antioxidants, thereby reduce OS levels, and further repair EDCs-induced reproductive damage. In addition, many food-derived antioxidants are important elements involved in reproductive physiological activities and have protective effects on reproductive health. This paper summarized the reproductive toxicity of EDCs, including damage to reproductive cells, interference with hormone action, and influence on reproductive-related epigenetic regulation, elaborated the relationship between OS and reproductive toxicity of EDCs, and further summarized the alleviating effects and related mechanisms of food-derived antioxidants such as vitamins, trace elements, and plant polyphenols and pigments against reproductive toxicity of EDCs, aiming to provide a theoretical and scientific basis for prevention and treatment against reproductive toxicity of EDCs.