Background: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardant chemicals that are persistent organic pollutants. Animal experiments and some human studies indicate that PBDEs may adversely affect male reproductive function.
Objectives: To assess the association between PBDE exposure and reproductive hormones (RHs) in a North American male adult cohort.
Methods: From 2010-11, we collected three serum samples from 27 healthy adult men. We assessed associations between PBDEs and RHs using mixed effect regression models.
Results: PBDEs were inversely associated with inhibin-B. In older men, increased concentrations of BDE-47 and BDE-100 were significantly associated with a decrease in inhibin-B, and an increase in follicular stimulating hormone (FSH).
Conclusions: These findings suggest PBDE exposure may affect RHs in older men. We did not measure other parameters of male reproductive function and therefore these results are preliminary.
Keywords: Environmental health; Flame retardants; Male reproductive health; Persistent organic pollutants; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.