Exploring Pathways Linking Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, Progesterone, and Epigenetics to Sleep and Metabolic Health Outcomes Among Mexican Populations
Abstract
The prevalence of poor sleep health and metabolic dysfunction has increased globally in recent decades. These trends may be linked since studies have shown that poor sleep health can antedate metabolic dysfunction. Mounting evidence suggests that the chemical landscape, particularly exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), may play a role in poor sleep and cardiometabolic risk. However, the role of phthalates, phenols, and parabens--EDCs found in personal care products and food sources -- is still unclear. One potential mechanism is via epigenetic alterations, which refer to heritable and potentially reversible changes in gene expression unrelated to the DNA sequence, which may underlie EDCs long-term effects. Nevertheless, the relationships between EDCs and epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, remain unexplored among populations undergoing reproductive transitions when sleep and cardiometabolic health change. Data from midlife women and adolescent participants enrolled in the ELEMENT human birth cohort study were used to study these research questions. Aim 1 examined cross-sectional associations between phthalates, phenols, and parabens with objective markers of sleep health and metabolic syndrome risk (MetS) during adolescence. Among males, higher exposure to mostly phthalates and phenols was associated with longer sleep duration, higher lipids ratio, and MetS risk z-scores. Among females, higher exposure to EDCs, particularly phthalate metabolites,…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
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