Urinary cadmium (Cd) excretion is associated with cancer and cardiovascular morbidity. A potential mechanism could be disturbance of steroidogenesis in gonads and adrenal glands.
We tested whether urinary excretion of Cd is correlated with that of cortico- and sex steroid metabolites in the general adult population.
The Swiss Kidney Project on Genes in Hypertension is a multicentric, family-based population study.
Urinary excretions of steroid hormone metabolites and Cd were measured with separate day and night collections. Associations were analyzed by mixed linear models.
Urinary Cd and testosterone excretions in men were significantly correlated (respective day and night β values [standard error (SE)], 1.378 [0.242], P < 0.0005; and 1.440 [0.333], P < 0.0005), but not in women [0.333(0.257), P = 0.2; and 0.674 (0.361), P = 0.06]. Urinary Cd and cortisol excretions were positively associated in both sexes [day: β = 0.475 (SE, 0.157), P = 0.0025, and 0.877 (SE, 0.194), P < 0.0005, respectively; night: β = 0.875 (SE, 0.253), P < 0.0005 and 1.183 (SE, 0.277), P = 0.00002, respectively]. Cd excretion was correlated with mineralocorticoid metabolites excretion, except tetrahydroaldosterone, in both sexes (P < 0.01). There was an independent effect of Cd on sex hormone and corticosteroid synthesis and an interdependent effect on gluco- and mineralcorticoid production.
Our findings provide evidence for a global stimulating effect on steroid synthesis already at low-dose Cd exposure. These findings might explain the association of Cd with diseases such as steroid-sensitive cancers or metabolic disorders.