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Influence of Endocrine Disruptors on Male Reproductive Tract

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Testosterone

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Abstract

A wide variety of chemical compounds with endocrine disruptor (EDC) activity have been recognized for environmental control agencies worldwide, including among them pesticides, pollutants and substances used in the production of plastics. Biomonitoring studies have identified these compounds in adults, children, pregnant women and fetuses. EDCs are contributing to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases, including those related to reproductive system. Initially, it was assumed that EDCs exert their adverse effects by binding to hormone receptors and transcription factors, but it is currently known that they may also alter the expression of enzymes involved in the steroid synthesis and/or catabolism or cause epigenetic changes. The true impact of endocrine disruptors on human health is difficult to assess because specific end points may be differentially affected at different ages. Humans are exposed to at least hundreds of environmental chemicals and a major limitation of epidemiological studies is that usually they measured the human exposure to a single EDC. The EDCs are an international problem and the population should be educated to avoid EDC exposure.

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  1. Unidade de Endocrinologia, Hospital Universitário Walter Cantidio, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Eveline Fontenele & Rosana Quezado

  2. Laboratórios de Hormônios e Genética Molecular-LIM42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Tânia Sanchez Bachega

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  1. Department of Internal Medicine - Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Alexandre Hohl

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Fontenele, E., Quezado, R., Bachega, T.S. (2023). Influence of Endocrine Disruptors on Male Reproductive Tract. In: Hohl, A. (eds) Testosterone. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31501-5_22

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