Athletic Performance and Hormonal Environment
Elite athletic performance depends on optimal hormonal function—testosterone for muscle development and recovery, estrogen for bone health and cardiovascular efficiency, thyroid hormones for metabolic rate, and growth hormone for tissue repair. PFAS-induced endocrine disruption in high-level athletes represents a largely unexplored intersection of environmental health and sports science.
PFAS and Athlete Testosterone
PFAS suppress testosterone production in Leydig cells, with documented effects in occupationally exposed workers. For male athletes in testosterone-dependent sports requiring muscle strength and power, even modest PFAS-induced testosterone reduction could affect training adaptation, recovery capacity, and competitive performance—particularly in sports where testosterone levels are carefully monitored for anti-doping compliance.
Female Athlete Hormonal Health
Female athletes dependent on estrogen for bone density and cardiovascular health face particular vulnerability to PFAS-induced estrogen disruption. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) conditions affecting female athletes share hormonal characteristics with PFAS-induced endocrine disruption, potentially creating compounded hormonal health challenges in female athletes from PFAS-contaminated communities.
Sports Medicine and Environmental Health
Sports medicine physicians should consider PFAS exposure assessment in athletes presenting with unexplained hormonal abnormalities, poor recovery from training, or unusual bone stress injury rates. Team physicians at facilities near PFAS contamination sources should include water quality assessment in athlete health monitoring protocols