Foetal Exposure to Phthalates and Endocrine effects on the Leydig cell

A review of the current literature on the association between early life exposure to phthalates in human males and the hormonal function of the testicular Leydig cell.A systematic search was performed in the databases PubMed and EMBASE, identifying 17 studies for analysis.Testosterone showed largely null results, while the Leydig cell stimulating hormone (luteinizing hormone, LH) showed a positive and testosterone/LH ratio a negative association, indicating a demand for a larger LH stimulus to produce the same amount of testosterone.An early life phthalate exposure induced decline in Leydig cell function, could impact the spermatogenesis and adult male fertility.