ArticleToxics2026
Age-Dependent Effects of Heavy Metals on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis-Related Hormones in Men.
Article in Toxics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prenatal methylmercury exposure disrupts developmental trajectories and induces sex-specific toxicity in pubertal rats.Research square · 2026Article
- Assessment of Factors Regulating Androgen Receptor (AR) and Estrogen Receptor Alpha (ERα) Expression in Men with End-Stage Hip Osteoarthritis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The effect of heavy metals on male hormonal regulation-particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis-remains poorly characterized. We aim to investigate associations between heavy metal exposure and HPT axis-related hormones. We analyzed data, including male participants aged 3-80 years, from a nationally representative survey. Five metals and twelve sex hormones were measured. We used multivariate linear regression and restricted cubic splines to assess associations and dose-response relationships. Mixture effects were quantified using quantile-based g computation. The modifying effects of vitamin D and folate were examined. The underlying mechanisms were explored through a narrative review and integrative bioinformatics analysis. A total of 6547 males were included. Metal exposure was predominantly associated with hormonal perturbations in adolescents and older adults. Specifically, metal mixture was associated with hormones in adolescent males [effect range: -5.10% (95% CI: -9.24, -0.76) to 18.12% (95% CI: 9.80, 27.07)] and older males [effect range: 3.17% (95% CI: 0.07, 6.37) to 10.94% (95% CI: 4.82, 17.43)]. Effect modifications were observed for vitamin D in children and adolescents, and for folate across all age groups. The
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Registered trials
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