Madison Burgess
A study has looked into why girls are starting puberty younger than ever, and researchers may have identified the cause.
For girls, it’s normal for puberty to start any time between the ages of eight and 14 years old, as outlined by the NHS.
But in recent years, reports have been rising that more girls are falling to the younger end of the scale, with some beginning even before age eight.
As reported by NBC News, in May, one study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that 15.5% of girls experienced their period earlier than age 11, with 1.4% beginning to menstruate younger than age nine.
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Studies have highlighted a number of potential causes, including the rising rates of childhood obesity or simply genetics.
One study in particular looked into whether the possible impact of environmental chemicals on the brain could be what’s leading to the rise in early puberty.
Dr. Natalie Shaw, a pediatric endocrinologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Durham, North Carolina, and a co-senior author of the new study, told NBC that her team of researchers were looking for a compound that children might commonly be exposed to.
After some digging, which included trawling through 10,000 compounds in a library of licensed pharmaceuticals, the researchers found one that stood out.
According to the report, as per NBC News, the nitro musk, Musk Ambrette, could be attaching onto a puberty-related receptor in the hypothalamus, which would then lead to the release of GnRH - a hormone involved in the maturation of sexual organs and the production of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone.
Musk Ambrette is a form of musk that used to be found in a slew of different scented products, including perfumes, personal care and cleaning products, and in some foods that have artificial flavorings.
While it was once commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products, its use has since been heavily restricted or banned in many regions due to safety concerns.
The European Union has prohibited its use in cosmetics, while Canada has also restricted it.
The team behind the study tested Musk Ambrette on zebra fish larvae and human hypothalamic cells, and found that, shockingly, it did spark the production of GnRH.
While there is much more research to be conducted, it’s an important first step in recognising what could be behind the rise in early puberty.