Association of Blood Mercury Levels with Bone Mineral Density in Adolescents Aged 12–19

Abstract

Abstract Adolescence is a critical period of rapid bone mass growth, and achieving higher bone mineral density (BMD) during this period can help prevent osteoporosis. The effects of metallic mercury on bone health remain unclear and controversial. Numerous studies have focused on perimenopausal women and older adults, and the association of blood mercury with bone mineral density in adolescents has not been discussed. This study aimed to collect data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2018 to explore the association of blood mercury levels with bone mineral density in adolescents. Based on the results of statistical analyses of 2818 participants, we found that blood mercury levels were negatively associated with bone mineral density in adolescents, although not significantly. Additionally, the trend in bone mineral density with changes in blood mercury was different in male and female adolescents. We also found an inverted U-shaped association between blood mercury and bone mineral density in male and Mexican American adolescents. This suggests that increased blood mercury levels within a range may be beneficial for bone health in male adolescents (inflection point: 5.44 nmol/L) and Mexican-American adolescents (inflection point: 5.49 nmol/L), while higher blood mercury levels may be detrimental to bone health. Due to the design of this study, more prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.