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Why are kids going through puberty earlier?

Up until recently, scientists thought that kids went through puberty at specific times based on their genes. While this can be a factor, it's not the only one. Now, they've realized that a lot of the timing has to do with your environment. Some of the top reasons for going through early puberty are...

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Most children whose biological mothers had good nutrition during pregnancy, and who grow up eating the same way, go through puberty earlier. This is also true of kids who over-eat, or are overweight. These kids have more Leptin in their bodies (a protein that fat cells produce telling our brains we're full), which stimulates the production of Kisspeptin (a chemical in the brain responsible for the release of puberty hormones). The more Leptin your body has, the more Kisspeptin it will produce. This, in turn, can result in early puberty.

EXPOSURE TO LIGHT

You've probably been told many times to stop staring at your screens because they're not good for you. You probably didn't know they're actually not good for pubertal timing, either! Light, both natural and artificial, slows down production of Melatonin (a hormone that makes you feel sleepy and regulates the sleep cycle). 

Melatonin suppresses the production of Kisspeptin. Therefore, when your body can't produce enough Melatonin, it will produce more Kisspeptin, and that can result in early puberty. This is one reason to not look at screens before bed.

EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS

Chemicals in your environment can also trigger early puberty, and are sometimes referred to as "endocrine disruptors" because they disrupt your body's normal hormonal functioning. You can find them in plastics (food containers, furniture items, household products), pesticides, hair products, and even foods like meat and dairy. Unfortunately, it's very hard to avoid environmental chemicals in today's society. When buying any of these products, make sure you're getting certified BPA free items. 

FAMILY STRESS

When small amounts of the body's stress hormone, Cortisol, are released consistently (like when a child often listens to their parents fight), it stimulates puberty. Also, kids with female anatomy can go through puberty earlier when there is no father figure in the home. This is a very heteronormative hypothesis that says daughters of single-mothers can be exposed to many unrelated adult men, which increases their exposure to Pheromones (chemicals in your body that affect others, to which females are very sensitive). 

LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

Early puberty sometimes occurs in kids who were born at a low birth weight. This is because low birth weight results in the body overproducing Insulin (a hormone that regulates sugar in your blood). Having high insulin levels can lead to excess weight gain, which can then lead to obesity, which we now know is related to early puberty. However, Insulin also stimulates the production of puberty hormones, making puberty happen earlier and progress more quickly. 

Fun Fact: On average, kids who live closer to the Equator go through puberty earlier than kids who live far away from it because there is more, extended sunlight at the Equator.

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How to Start the Conversation you Don't want to Have

  • Writer: Margot Hillier Twomey
    Margot Hillier Twomey
  • Nov 6, 2018
  • 2 min read

Updated: Nov 23, 2018

Some ideas on communicating your thoughts and concerns to people you trust.

For a long time, puberty has been taboo to talk about. People have been made to feel ashamed for having questions and needing answers. That's super unfair to you, because the best way to prevent the problems associated with early puberty is to have open, honest conversations about what to expect and how to handle all this mental and physical change. Kids of all genders need this information - it's really okay to make the boys feel uncomfortable if it means everybody gets to learn. Usually, boys want to know about this stuff just as much as you do! In my study, I asked all 100 participants if they felt like they had someone to talk to during puberty, and only 64 said yes. That means that 36% of those individuals do not remember feeling securely able to talk to someone.

Did you feel like you had someone to talk to about pubertal changes?

"Puberty is different for everyone. Don't assume that if you're uncomfortable, everyone else is. Be real with doctors and parents about how you feel and what's bothering you."

Here are some ideas for how to start those conversations you don't want to have:


1. Remember that everyone goes through it. All the adults you know have been exactly where you are! If you don't want to ask questions directly about yourself, ask a person you trust if they remember what it felt like to get their period, or to wonder if their breasts were normal. They will be happy to guide you through those thoughts and questions.


2. Having questions is normal. 10-year-olds usually have between 80-100 questions per day. Imagine having all those questions and nowhere to ask them! If you have a puberty-related question, chances are most other kids have the same one. When you're asking your questions someone you trust, remind them that everybody wonders about things that are important to them, and it's really hard to concentrate when you can't find the answer.


3. You deserve to understand your body. Just because nobody talks about bodies doesn't mean you shouldn't understand them. You have the right to know what's happening inside your brain and body as you go through puberty. When you're starting a conversation with someone about puberty, tell them you need to be able to prepare for the changes that will happen. You deserve up-to-date information on yourself. If an adult doesn't have the answer, you can ask them to help you look it up and you can learn together. Remember: your body, your choice.


4. Feeling uncomfortable for 15 minutes today is worth feeling confident for the next couple years you're going through puberty. When you don't have support to help you understand puberty, especially early puberty, you have a higher chance of developing disorders like depression and low self-esteem. While it's okay to have them, it's much better to be able to prevent them while you can. When you're starting a conversation about puberty, remind yourself that the discomfort you feel will end when the conversation ends, but the knowledge you gain will last forever.

 
 
 

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