Understanding the Endocrine and Reproductive Health Effects Associated With Exposures to Jet Fuels: A Fit-for-Purpose Systematic Literature Review.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the endocrine and reproductive health effects associated with jet fuels used by the US military. A systematic review of epidemiologic, animal toxicological, and mechanistic studies was conducted, synthesizing evidence on endocrine and reproductive outcomes following jet fuel exposure. Epidemiologic studies on endocrine and reproductive outcomes yielded indeterminate evidence, with no endocrine studies and inconsistent findings on menstrual abnormalities, sex hormone concentrations, and sperm parameters. Animal toxicological studies provided slight evidence for changes in endocrine organs, including observations of adrenal gland histopathology and weight alterations. Animal data provided slight evidence for reproductive health, with histopathological findings of mammary gland hyperplasia in females and testis atrophy in males. Evidence suggests that potential endocrine and reproductive toxicity may result from jet fuel exposure. Additional research is needed to better understand these relationships.