Middle-aged women exposed to toxic metals may have fewer eggs in their ovariesas they approach menopause, according to new research published in the journalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism».

Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, they are commonly found in drinking water, air pollution and contaminated food and are considered endocrine disrupting chemicals. The researchers studied 549 middle-aged women who were going through menopause and had evidence of heavy metal exposure in their urine samples. They analyzed data from blood tests for levels of the hormone AMH, a marker of ovarian reserve, up to ten years before women’s last periods.

They found that widespread exposure to heavy metals may be linked to lower levels of the hormone AMH, meaning premature aging of the ovaries, and health problems associated with that aging, such as hot flashes, weakened bones and osteoporosis, higher chances of heart disease and cognitive impairment.