Urinary Glyphosate Concentrations and Serum Sex Hormones in a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample: NHANES 2017-2018

Glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHS) are the most widely used herbicides worldwide, yet their potential endocrine-disrupting effects in humans remain inadequately studied. We analyzed data from 1532 participants aged ≥6 years in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Serum sex hormones assessed included follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), androstenedione, estrone, estradiol, estrone sulfate, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, progesterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). We found that higher urinary glyphosate levels were significantly associated with lower concentrations of AMH (β = -0.140, p < 0.05), androstenedione (β = -0.134, p < 0.001), estradiol (β = -0.185, p < 0.05), estrone (β = -0.132, p < 0.05), estrone sulfate (β = -0.196, p < 0.001), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (β = -0.097, p < 0.05), and progesterone (β = -0.212, p < 0.05). SHBG was positively associated (β = 0.080, p < 0.05). FSH and LH showed no significant associations. These associations were generally linear and showed modification by age. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger negative associations in adult males, while SHBG increased in females. In conclusion, we observed that higher urinary glyphosate levels were significantly associated with alterations in multiple serum sex hormones. Although the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, these findings underscore the need for longitudinal research to determine temporal relationships and underlying mechanisms.