Aaron Hartman, MDFunctional Medicine Specialist | Clinical Researcher

The Alarming Rise of Toxins in Americans | The Hormone Hierarchy

12 Jun 2025 · 1 min

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Aaron Hartman, MD (speaker) reports rising chemical burden in Americans based on NHANES trends: currently about 10–13 detectable toxic chemicals in urine per person, compared with ~6–8 a decade ago and ~3–5 two decades ago. He also comments on secular trends toward earlier puberty/menarche: mid-1800s average ~16 years, mid-20th-century-era reports ~13–14, his residency-era observation ~12, and very early onset (around 9) noted in African American young women.

Questions this video answers

Between 10 and 13 toxic chemicals.

About 6–8 (10 years ago) and about 3–5 (20 years ago).

Mid-1800s: ~16; his high-school-era norm: ~13–14; his residency-era norm: ~12; African American young ladies: as early as ~9.

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The average American has between 10 and 13 toxic chemicals in urine testing right now. 10 years ago it was six to eight and 10 years before that it was like three to five. So that's just an NHANES trend that we're just getting more toxic, you know. Is that behind, you know? Yes. A lot of the stuff we're dealing with low T women with pcos, you know, here's a trend I'm seeing. I'm sorry, now that now I'm thinking about. I got lots of trends, I'm saying, yeah, lots of trends I got to think about for a second. That's the point. Yeah, Young ladies cycling younger in the mid-1800s, the average age of starting your cycle was about 16. When I was in high school I was told it was like 13 and 14. When I was in residency I was 12. Now in African American young ladies, 9 is actually considered Nordic.