Plasma levels of persistent organohalogens and hormone levels in adult male humans

In this study the authors assessed the possible relationship between high d ietary exposure to persistent organohalogens (OHS) through fatty fish from the Baltic Sea and hormone levels in adult men. Blood samples were drawn fr om 110 men who consumed varying amounts of fish (i.e., 0-32 meals per month ) for analysis of plasma levels of 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congen ers, 5 hydroxy-PCBs, 1,1,1-trichloto-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-ethane (p,p'-D DT), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-ethene (p,p'-DDE), hexachlorobenz ene, and 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether. In addition, plasma levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, plasma thyrot ropin, free and total T3, free and total T4, and free testosterone were ana lyzed. The authors adjusted for age, and the only significant associations that remained were negative correlations between 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphen yl ether and plasma thyrotropin (p <.001), and between pentachlorophenol an d follicle-stimulating hormone (p = .04). The authors expected that there w ould be some significant correlations that resulted from pure chance. High consumption of organohalogen-polluted fish did not appear to affect plasma concentrations of pituitary, thyroid, or testosterone hormone levels in mal e adults.