Dr. Lisa Becht was recently quoted in an article written by Michelle Pugle titled “Heavy Metal Exposure Linked to Earlier Menopause, Study Finds” for Health.

A new study finds that heavy metal exposure may be linked to earlier menopause in middle-aged women. The new research was published earlier this year in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. It found that women with higher levels of heavy metals in their urine were likely to have hormone levels that indicated diminished ovarian reserve.

Heavy metals are considered endocrine disruptors or endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are substances that can mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormone and endocrine system, impacting various aspects of health, including fertility, Lisa Becht, MD, FACOG, a reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility, told Health. Dr. Becht explained that the theory is that EDCs can lead to more oxidative stress and free radicals that decrease ovarian follicles and decrease Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) production. All of this can lead to ovarian aging.

Dr. Becht goes on to discuss sources of heavy metal exposure, ovarian aging, and the ovarian reserve. To learn more about how heavy metal exposure may lead to earlier menopause, read the article in its entirety here.