EHP is an abbreviation with several distinct meanings depending on the field. The most common uses refer to a peer-reviewed scientific journal, a professional role in public health, a fitness supplement brand, and a shrimp parasite in aquaculture. Here’s what each one means and why it matters.
Environmental Health Perspectives (the Journal)
In scientific and academic contexts, EHP almost always refers to Environmental Health Perspectives, a research journal published by the American Chemical Society. Its primary aim is to publish high-quality research, reviews, and commentaries that advance understanding of how environmental exposures affect human health. The journal covers experimental toxicology, epidemiology, exposure science, and risk assessment, though it accepts work from any discipline examining the link between the environment and human health.
If you encountered “EHP” in a news article about pollution, chemicals in drinking water, or pesticide exposure, this is likely the source being cited. It’s one of the most widely referenced journals in environmental health science, and its studies frequently shape public health policy and media coverage of environmental risks.
Environmental Health Practitioner (the Career)
EHP can also stand for Environmental Health Practitioner, a professional who works to protect communities from environmental hazards. These practitioners inspect facilities, evaluate workplace safety equipment, investigate accidents, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. Their specializations range from industrial hygiene and chemical spill response to fire prevention, construction safety, and accident investigation.
In the United States, the formal credential is the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS), administered by the National Environmental Health Association. There are multiple paths to earning it. A bachelor’s degree in environmental health from an accredited program qualifies you to sit for the exam without additional work experience. If your degree is in another subject, you need at least 30 semester hours of basic science coursework, a college-level math or statistics class, and two years of environmental health work experience. Those who meet the academic requirements but lack work experience can take the exam under an “In Training” designation and then have three years to complete the required experience.
Day to day, these professionals review plans for new machinery and equipment, identify hazards through facility inspections, evaluate the effectiveness of safety controls, and guide the installation of safety devices. When accidents occur, they determine root causes and recommend corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
EHPlabs (the Supplement Brand)
In fitness circles, EHP typically refers to EHPlabs, an Australian supplement company founded in 2012 in Sydney. The brand’s flagship product is OxyShred, a powdered thermogenic drink designed to be taken before workouts or in the morning. It comes in several variations, including an ultra-concentrated version, a stimulant-free version, a ready-to-drink can, and even gummies.
OxyShred’s formula combines caffeine with ingredients like acetyl L-carnitine (which helps transport fatty acids for energy), the amino acid L-tyrosine (involved in focus and alertness), conjugated linoleic acid, green coffee bean extract, garcinia cambogia, and a range of B vitamins. The brand markets these under categories it calls a “fat burning matrix,” an “immunity booster complex,” and a “mood enhancer matrix.” It’s worth noting that, like all dietary supplements in the United States, these products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
EHPlabs also sells a greens powder called OxyGreens. Both OxyShred and OxyGreens consistently rank among the brand’s best sellers.
Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (the Shrimp Parasite)
In aquaculture and marine science, EHP stands for Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei, a microscopic parasite that infects farmed shrimp. It’s an intracellular microsporidian, meaning it lives inside the cells of the shrimp’s hepatopancreas (a digestive organ). The infection causes a condition called hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis.
EHP doesn’t typically kill shrimp outright, but it severely stunts their growth. Research on Pacific white shrimp shows a strong negative correlation between parasite levels and body size: the more EHP present, the smaller the shrimp. One study found correlations of -0.76 for body length and -0.90 for body weight, meaning heavily infected shrimp weigh dramatically less than healthy ones. For commercial shrimp farms, this translates directly into economic losses even without mass die-offs.
Detecting EHP requires laboratory testing. The industry standard is a nested PCR method targeting the spore wall protein gene, which amplifies parasite DNA in two steps to achieve high sensitivity. Other diagnostic tools include loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization, and traditional tissue examination under a microscope. Rapid, field-friendly detection methods are an active area of development, since early identification is the best way for farms to manage outbreaks before growth losses become severe.