September 10, 2021 | Research conducted in Thailand and published in Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, shows that exposure to pesticides, even at low levels, impact the human endocrine system and distort thyroid function. The study looks specifically at interactions of genetics and environment: it investigates associations between variations in genes involved in pesticide metabolism and altered thyroid function in two groups: those working on organically managed farms (216 subjects), and those working on conventional farms that use pesticides (229 subjects). This research underscores some of the complexity and difficulty of determining human vulnerability to impacts of pesticide exposures, given genetic variables. [Sirivarasai, Jintana, et al. Genetic Polymorphisms of Pesticide-Metabolizing Enzymes and Transporters in Agricultural Workers and Thyroid Hormone Levels. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy. 14, 3435–3451, 2021.]
