Phthalates associated with lower bone mineral density in male teens
The Endocrine Society
Endocrine-disrupting
chemicals are chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that interfere with the way
the body's hormones work. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (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.
"Adolescence is an important time when our bodies build up 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, M.D., M.P.H., of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute and Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.
"Our research found an association
between certain PFAS and phthalates and reduced bone mineral density in
adolescent males. Because bone accrual primarily occurs during adolescence, if
replicated, this finding may have implications for lifelong bone health."
The
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.
Other
authors of this study include: Jenny L. Carwile, Shravanthi M. Seshasayee and
Clifford J. Rosen of the Maine Medical Center Research Institute; Katherine A.
Ahrens of the University of Southern Maine in Portland, Maine; Russ Hauser of
the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Mass.; Jeffrey B.
Driban of the Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Mass.; and Catherine M. Gordon of
the Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
The
study received funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences.
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