Cadium

            Science Essay: Is cadium a gender bender?.
             This article on cadium being a gender bender raises some very interesting arguments. The studies that have found the metal cadium to be a gender bender are surprising as cadium is the first metal that has been found to mimic the female hormone oestrogen.
             Cadium can be found in nickel-cadium batteries; cigarettes and traces of the metal can be found in some crops. Cadium can be highly toxic when too much of it is consumed. The areas that are affected most by high cadium intake are the liver and the kidneys. The recommended intake of cadium for humans is 7 micrograms.
             Just recently Mary Beth Martin in Georgetown USA ran a test to find out the effects that cadium had on rats. The test was conducted on female rats that had had their ovaries removed so that they could not produce oestrogen. The rats were given a dose of oestrogen between 5 and 10 micrograms depending on their body weight. The dosage was similar to the amount of cadium that an average human consumes each week.
             The results of the test were astounding to say the least. The rats started to produce milk and their womb linings started to get thicker. Their mammary glands also started to swell. When the cadium was given to pregnant rats their female offspring matured at a faster pace and developed denser mammary glands.
             The final peace of evidence is that when the rats were given an oestrogen blocker the effects of the cadium disappeared. In my opinion the cadium tests should also be conducted on male rats to see if they are affected the same way as male humans are when given oestrogen. This would give a better perspective on the issue. If the effects are the same on humans it has not yet been proven. A spokesperson for the US Environmental Protection Agency said "We will want to look at the study very carefully before we give any perspective on it".