Fluoride mediated disruption of sex steroid hormones has been demonstrated in animals. However, evidence from humans was limited and contradictory, especially for children and adolescents. Based on data of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) 2013–2016, a total of 3392 subjects aged 6–19 years were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Both plasma and water fluoride levels were quantified electrometrically using the ion-specific electrode. Sex steroid hormones of total testosterone, estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were tested in serum. Percent changes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in sex steroid hormones associated with tertiles of fluoride levels (setting the first as reference) were estimated using adjusted linear regression models by stratification of gender and age. Compared with subjects at the first tertile of plasma fluoride, percent changes (95% CIs) in testosterone were −8.08% (−17.36%, 2.25%) and −21.65% (−30.44%, −11.75%) for the second and third tertiles, respectively (P _trend <0.001). Male adolescents at the third tertile of plasma fluoride had decreased levels of testosterone (percent change = −21.09%, 95% CIs = −36.61% to −1.77%). Similar inverse associations were also found when investigating the relationships between plasma fluoride and estradiol. Besides, the data indicated decreased levels of SHBG associated with water and plasma fluoride among the male adolescents (percent change of the third tertile = −9.39%, 95% CIs = −17.25% to −0.78%) and female children (percent change of the second tertile = −10.78%, 95% CIs = −17.55% to −3.45%), respectively. The data indicated gender- and age-specific inverse associations of fluoride in plasma and water with sex steroid hormones of total testosterone, estradiol and SHBG in U.S. children and adolescents. Prospective cohort studies are warranted to confirm the causality.

氟化物介导的性类固醇激素的破坏已在动物中得到证实。但是，人类的证据有限且相互矛盾，特别是对于儿童和青少年而言。根据2013-2016年国家健康与营养调查（NHANES）的数据，本横断面研究共分析了3392名6-19岁的受试者。使用离子特异性电极对血浆和氟化氢的含量进行电计量。在血清中检测总睾丸激素，雌二醇和性激素结合球蛋白（SHBG）的性类固醇激素。与性别水平相关的类固醇激素的百分比变化和95％的置信区间（CIs）与氟水平的三分位数相关（以第一个为参考）是通过按性别和年龄分层使用调整后的线性回归模型估算的。_趋势<0.001）。血浆氟化物的第三个三分位数的男性青少年的睾丸激素水平降低（百分比变化= -21.09％，95％CI = -36.61％至-1.77％）。在研究血浆氟化物与雌二醇之间的关系时，也发现了类似的逆相关性。此外，数据表明，男性青少年（第三位三分位数的变化百分比为−9.39％，95％CI为−17.25％至-0.78％）和女性（青少年百分比的变化百分比）与水和血浆氟化物相关的SHBG水平降低。第二个三分位数分别为-10.78％，95％CI为-17.55％至-3.45％。数据表明，美国儿童和青少年血浆和水中的氟化物与总睾丸激素，雌二醇和SHBG的性类固醇激素的性别和年龄成反比。