Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors
There is evidence suggesting that toxic metal and trace element exposure disrupts androgen levels. However, specific effects of such exposure on hyperandrogenemia (HA) in women and testosterone deficiency (TD) in men remain unclear. The study investigated associations between toxic metal and trace e...
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325006888 |
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| author | Yingying Lu Lulu Geng Dan Zhou Yan Sun Haoyi Xu Xinyi Du Qing Xu Miaoxin Chen |
| author_facet | Yingying Lu Lulu Geng Dan Zhou Yan Sun Haoyi Xu Xinyi Du Qing Xu Miaoxin Chen |
| author_sort | Yingying Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is evidence suggesting that toxic metal and trace element exposure disrupts androgen levels. However, specific effects of such exposure on hyperandrogenemia (HA) in women and testosterone deficiency (TD) in men remain unclear. The study investigated associations between toxic metal and trace element exposure and HA in women and TD in men, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2013 and 2016, and included 2205 women and 2621 men. Single-exposure analyses found lead (Pb) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.19, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.04–1.36) and cadmium (Cd) (aOR 1.20, 95 % CI 1.03–1.39) were positively associated with HA, especially strong in women over the age of 35. Manganese (Mn) was positively associated with TD (aOR 1.15, 95 % CI 1.03–1.28), especially strong in men aged between 45 and 50 years and obese men. A grouped weighted quantile sum (GWQS) model was performed to assess the effects of combined exposure, and found toxic metal mixture was positively associated with HA, particularly Cd (0.59) and Pb (0.40), and trace element mixture was positively associated with TD, particularly Mn (0.78). Mediation analyses demonstrated inflammation, particularly monocyte count and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) mediated 7.5–11.76 % of the associations. These findings provide insights to inform interventions for reducing exposure. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7837e2108024348bf58eb22834c2523 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7837e2108024348bf58eb22834c25232025-08-20T02:32:26ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-07-0129911835210.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118352Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factorsYingying Lu0Lulu Geng1Dan Zhou2Yan Sun3Haoyi Xu4Xinyi Du5Qing Xu6Miaoxin Chen7Centre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaCentre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaCentre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaCentre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare Hospital, Nanjing 210004, ChinaCentre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China; Corresponding author.Centre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Correspondence to: Centre for Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 2699 Gaoke West Road, Pudong District, Shanghai 200092, China.There is evidence suggesting that toxic metal and trace element exposure disrupts androgen levels. However, specific effects of such exposure on hyperandrogenemia (HA) in women and testosterone deficiency (TD) in men remain unclear. The study investigated associations between toxic metal and trace element exposure and HA in women and TD in men, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2013 and 2016, and included 2205 women and 2621 men. Single-exposure analyses found lead (Pb) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.19, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.04–1.36) and cadmium (Cd) (aOR 1.20, 95 % CI 1.03–1.39) were positively associated with HA, especially strong in women over the age of 35. Manganese (Mn) was positively associated with TD (aOR 1.15, 95 % CI 1.03–1.28), especially strong in men aged between 45 and 50 years and obese men. A grouped weighted quantile sum (GWQS) model was performed to assess the effects of combined exposure, and found toxic metal mixture was positively associated with HA, particularly Cd (0.59) and Pb (0.40), and trace element mixture was positively associated with TD, particularly Mn (0.78). Mediation analyses demonstrated inflammation, particularly monocyte count and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) mediated 7.5–11.76 % of the associations. These findings provide insights to inform interventions for reducing exposure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325006888Toxic metalsTrace elementsInflammationHyperandrogenemiaTestosterone deficiency |
| spellingShingle | Yingying Lu Lulu Geng Dan Zhou Yan Sun Haoyi Xu Xinyi Du Qing Xu Miaoxin Chen Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Toxic metals Trace elements Inflammation Hyperandrogenemia Testosterone deficiency |
| title | Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors |
| title_full | Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors |
| title_fullStr | Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors |
| title_short | Toxic metals and trace elements, markers of inflammation, and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men: Associations and potential mediating factors |
| title_sort | toxic metals and trace elements markers of inflammation and hyperandrogenemia in women and testosterone deficiency in men associations and potential mediating factors |
| topic | Toxic metals Trace elements Inflammation Hyperandrogenemia Testosterone deficiency |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325006888 |
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