3 research outputs found
Relationship between blood lead level and male reproductive hormones in male lead exposed workers of a battery factory: A cross-sectional study
Background: The reproductive system is one of the organs that are
affected by lead. Lead can cause loss of libido and fertility in men,
and menstrual disturbances and spontaneous abortion in woman.
Objective: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was assessment of
dose-response relationship between blood lead level (BLL) and sex
hormones levels in lead exposed male workers. Materials and Methods:
One hundred and thirteen male workers enrolled. All workers had at
least 6 months of lead exposure and no history of diseases or
conditions affecting reproductive system. Blood lead level and hormones
levels measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometer and
radioimmunoassay method, respectively. Results: Average duration of
exposure was 15.92±6.95 years. Mean BLL was
41.41μg/dl±16.99. All of the sex hormones values were in
normal range. Pearson correlation showed that sex hormones levels had
no significant correlation with blood lead level. Also, there was no
significant difference in sex hormones levels between workers with BLL
40 μg/dl.
Conclusion: This study showed that BLL cannot serve as a predictor of
male sex hormonal changes. However, it is not possible to rule out the
effect of lead on the reproductive system after long-term exposure