‘ How toxic metals in potable water, dark chocolate, vegetables cause infertility in women’

EXPOSURE to even small amounts of toxic metals found in drinking water and food may cause eggs in women’s ovaries to deplete faster, a study has warned.

Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury are becomingly increasingly common in tap water and a wide range of food and vegetables, as well as fish and even chocolate.

Now researchers from the University of Michigan have shown that middle- aged women with high levels of these metals may be at risk of earlier menopause.

The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

The women who reach menopause earlier may be at higher risk of symptoms such as hot flashes, weak bones, a higher chance of heart disease and cognitive decline.

“Our findings suggest that these heavy metals may diminish ovarian reserve in midlife women during the menopausal transition,” the researchers wrote in the study.

Dr Park said: ‘ Metals, including arsenic and cadmium, possess endocrine disrupting characteristics and may be potentially toxic to the ovaries.

“We need to study the younger population as well to fully understand the role of chemicals in diminished ovarian reserve and infertility.”

Metals such as lead and arsenic have been linked to a multitude of health problems, including reduced infertility, endometriosis, early onset of puberty, some cancers, diabetes and obesity.

They are found in dark chocolate, leafy green vegetables, and baby food.

Researchers from a separate study found that 56 percent of Americans still drinking water is contaminated with lead.

For the latest study, the researchers analyzed 549 middle- aged women who were transitioning into menopause.

The women had at least 0.3 g/ L of arsenic ( micrograms per liter), 0.06 g/ L of cadmium, 0.05 g/ L of mercury and 0.1 g/ L of lead.

Previous studies indicate that normal levels of arsenic in urine are less than 50 micrograms per litre. They researchers also looked at their levels of Anti- Müllerian hormone, which tells doctors roughly how many eggs are left in a woman’s ovaries.

The study found women with higher levels of metal in their urine were more likely to have lower AMH levels, an indicator of a diminished ovary count. Women with the highest amounts of arsenic or mercury in their urine had lower AMH concentrations around the time of their final menstrual period.

Their endocrine- disrupting chemicals are found in the air, soil, drinking water and foods, as well as manufactured products. They have been linked to a multitude of health problems, including reduced infertility, endometriosis, early onset of puberty, some cancers, diabetes and obesity.

A lower egg count is also linked to symptoms such as hot flashes, weak bones, a higher chance of heart disease and cognitive decline.

Toxic metals have been found in foods like dark chocolate, leafy green vegetables, and baby food and have been linked to thousands of cases of cancer annually in the US.

Lead, arsenic, and cadmium levels in food have been rising in recent years as they seep into soil and water and contaminate crops used to feed particularly vulnerable populations like children.

Researchers found that 13,000 cases of bladder, lung, and skin cancers every year can be linked to contaminated foods.