Million Marker
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| Private | |
| Industry | Health technology |
| Genre | Direct-to-consumer healthcare |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California, United States |
| Products | Mail-in urine testing for endocrine-disrupting compounds |
| Website | [// ] |
Million Marker is a direct-to-consumer health technology company that sells mail-in urine testing for endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs).[1] Headquartered in Berkeley, California, the company is described by Y Combinator as “23andMe for environmental exposures.”[2]
History
The company was founded in Berkeley, California, by Jenna Hua, an environmental health scientist and registered dietitian, as part of Y Combinator's Summer 2019 batch.[3] It has since received Small Business Innovation Research grants from the National Institutes of Health.[4]
Products and services
The company sells a mail-in urine test kit that measures 13 biomarkers of EDC exposure, including metabolites of bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, parabens, and oxybenzone, using high-performance liquid chromatography.[5] After sending in a sample, customers receive a report showing their levels, how they compare to the general population, what health problems those chemicals are linked to, and steps they can take to lower their exposure (e.g., avoiding certain types of products).[6]
Research
In 2024, the company's researchers published a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health evaluating whether personalized reporting of urinary EDC biomarkers influenced participant knowledge and behavior.[7] They reported increased "environmental health literacy" and reductions in urinary concentrations of monobutyl phthalate, a phthalate metabolite, among participants receiving report-back. In a 2025 study, the research team found that higher use of personal care products was associated with urinary metabolites of phthalates and self-ratings of poor health.[8] The results also suggested women and people who take supplements were at greater risk of EDC exposures.
The company is conducting the Reducing Exposures to Endocrine Disruptors (REED) study in partnership with the Healthy Nevada Project, a 600-participant clinical trial examining the effectiveness of EDC testing and intervention services.[9]
Media coverage
Million Marker testing was featured in ''The Plastic Detox'', a 2026 Netflix documentary that examined whether reducing exposure to plastic-associated chemicals could affect reproductive health.[10] The film featured reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan and followed couples who used the company's test kits and made lifestyle changes intended to reduce contact with EDCs. In the end of the documentary, three of the couples had gotten pregnant, and one was expecting again.[11] The film received mixed reviews, including criticism that it seemed "like an infomercial" for Million Marker's product.[12][13]
The documentary's participants and interventions were part of a pilot study led by researchers at Million Marker, Stanford University, and UC San Francisco that was published in the journal Toxics.[14][15]
References
- ↑ "PEPH Newsletter - October 2024". National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ↑ "Million Marker: 23andMe for environmental exposures". Y Combinator. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ↑ Escher, Lucas Matney, Kate Clark, Megan Rose Dickey, Greg Kumparak, Anna (2019-08-20). "All 84 startups from Y Combinator's S19 Demo Day 1". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Firm | SBIR". www.sbir.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ↑ "Doctors advocate for treating obesity as an environmental problem - EHN". www.ehn.org. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
- ↑ Kluger, Jeffrey (2024-04-25). "A Test Told Me I'm Basically Made of Plastic. You Probably Are Too". TIME. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- ↑ Rochester, Johanna R.; Kwiatkowski, Carol F.; Neveux, Iva; Dabe, Shaun; Hatcher, Katherine M.; Lathrop, Michael Kupec; Daza, Eric J.; Eskenazi, Brenda; Grzymski, Joseph J.; Hua, Jenna (2024-07-11). "A Personalized Intervention to Increase Environmental Health Literacy and Readiness to Change in a Northern Nevada Population: Effects of Environmental Chemical Exposure Report-Back". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 21 (7): 905. doi:10.3390/ijerph21070905. ISSN 1660-4601.
- ↑ Foley, Jayne Marie; Kwiatkowski, Carol F.; Rochester, Johanna R.; Neveux, Iva; Dabe, Shaun; Lathrop, Michael Kupec; Daza, Eric J.; Grzymski, Joseph J.; Greenfield, Ben K.; Hua, Jenna (2025-01-13). "Associations Between Daily-Use Products and Urinary Biomarkers of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Adults of Reproductive Age". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 22 (1): 99. doi:10.3390/ijerph22010099. ISSN 1660-4601.
- ↑ Rochester, Johanna R.; Kwiatkowski, Carol F.; Lathrop, Michael Kupec; Neveux, Iva; Daza, Eric J.; Grzymski, Joseph; Hua, Jenna (2024-11-25). "Reducing Exposures to Endocrine Disruptors (REED) study, a personalized at-home intervention program to reduce exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals among a child-bearing age cohort: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial". Trials. 25 (1): 793. doi:10.1186/s13063-024-08627-3. ISSN 1745-6215.
- ↑ Shultz, Cara Lynn (2026-02-12). "Can Giving Up Plastic Improve Your Fertility? A New Documentary Aims to Find Out (Exclusive)". People.
- ↑ "Couples Ditched Plastic to Boost Fertility In New Netflix Documentary. Could It Really Help?". TODAY.com. 2026-03-17. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
- ↑ "The Plastic Detox | Audience Reviews | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ Poggi, Sarah Hougen (2026-04-16). "There's a Weird Myth About Plastic and Penis Size. Now It's Made It to Netflix". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ Hua, J; Rochester, JR; Foley, JM; Hahn, LB; Min, Y; Kenfield, S; Smith, JF; Swan, SH (March 16, 2026). "Targeting Plastic Exposure in Infertile Couples: A Pilot Intervention Study". Toxics. 14 (3): 257.
- ↑ "Lifestyle changes may help meaningfully reduce exposure to toxic plastic chemicals - EHN". www.ehn.org. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
External links
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