Decreased zinc and increased lead blood levels are associated with endometriosis in Asian Women

Guan-Lin Lai, Lai GL, Yeh CC, Chih-Ching Yeh, Chih‐Ching Yeh, Yeh CY, Ching-Ying Yeh, Ching‐Ying Yeh, Chen RY, Ruey-Yu Chen, Chiung-Lin Fu, Fu CL, Chi-Huang Chen, Chen CH, Chi‐Huang Chen, Tzeng CR, Chii-Ruey Tzeng, Chii‐Ruey Tzeng
Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) · 2017 · vol. 74 , pp. 77–84 · doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.09.001 · PMID:28889936 · W2751571839
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study investigated blood levels of zinc and lead and found that decreased zinc and increased lead were associated with endometriosis in Asian women.

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Abstract

Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease associated with multiple pathogenic factors and studies regarding roles of trace metals in endometriosis have been inconsistent and limited. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare the blood levels of miscellaneous trace metals measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in infertile women with and without endometriosis. Zinc level is associated with declining odds (adjusted OR=0.39, 95% CI=0.18-0.88) of endometriosis. By contrast, lead level is associated with increasing odds (adjusted OR=2.59, 95% CI=1.11-6.06) of endometriosis. The cadmium levels were higher in women with endometriosis, but the aOR was not significant. Zinc has anti-inflammatory characteristics and regulates homeostasis of zinc-containing superoxide dismutase. High lead levels might induce reactive oxygen species and deplete antioxidant defense mechanisms. Further prospective study is needed to test for their causal associations.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Environmental Pollutants Metals, Heavy Adult Asian People China China Endometriosis Endometriosis Environmental Pollutants Female Humans Metals, Heavy Odds Ratio

Citation neighborhood

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References (58)

Cited by (30)

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