title: Associations of lead and cadmium with sex hormones in adult males.
abstract: Heavy metal exposures are ubiquitous in the environment and their relation to sex hormones is not well understood. This paper investigates the associations between selected heavy metals (lead and cadmium) and sex hormones (testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, free estradiol) as well as other major molecules in the steroid biosynthesis pathway (androstanedione glucuronide and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG)). Blood lead and cadmium were selected as biomarkers of exposure, and tested for associations in males using National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999-2004. After adjustment for age, race, body mass index, smoking status, diabetes and alcohol intake, blood lead was positively associated with testosterone and SHBG while blood cadmium was positively associated with SHBG. After controlling for additional heavy metal exposure, the associations between lead and testosterone as well as cadmium and SHBG remained significant. Furthermore, the association between blood lead and testosterone was modified by smoking status (P for interaction=0.011), diabetes (P for interaction=0.021) and blood cadmium (P for interaction=0.029). The association between blood cadmium and SHBG levels was modified by blood lead (P for interaction=0.004). This study is the most comprehensive investigation to date regarding the association between heavy metals and sex hormones in males.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois-Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States. Electronic address: jkreso2@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Jacob K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kresovich
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois-Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Argos
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois-Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Turyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007854:Lead; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: Cadmium; Lead; NHANES; Sex hormones; Testosterone