A new study has found an association between certain hormone-disrupting chemicals and reduced bone mineral density in adolescent males.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates (two types of hormone-disrupting chemicals) may be associated with lower bone mineral density (bone health) in male teens. The results of this research of this study can be found as it was published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals — Toxic to Adolescence
Hormone-disrupting chemicals are chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that interfere with the way the body’s hormones work. PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in nonstick cookware, clothing, and food packaging, and are increasingly being found in U.S. water supplies. Phthalates are used in personal care products, food processing, and children’s toys.‘The link between hormone-disrupting chemicals and reduced bone mineral density in males during adolescence may have implications for lifelong bone health.’
“Adolescence is an important time when our bodies build up the bone. Almost all U.S. children and adolescents are exposed to PFAS and phthalates, but few studies have looked at how these chemicals could be impacting our bone health,” said Abby F. Fleisch, MD, MPH, of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute and Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.Researchers leveraged urine and blood samples from 453 boys and 395 girls from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and found higher levels of PFAS and phthalates may be associated with lower bone mineral density in adolescent males. The researchers did not find the same effect in girls.
While many unalterable factors affect bone density (such as genetic disposition), many other factors that add to or subtract from bone strength are within an individual’s control. This finding shows that limiting exposure to endocrine-disrupting hormones might prevent bone loss in men.
Source-Medindia