Girls exposed to pollutants that promote precocious puberty
A U.S. study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives shows high levels of phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens in urine of girls aged 7 to 9. These pollutants are found in many everyday products such as plastics, cans inside, shampoos, nail polish, perfume, coating of drugs and dietary supplements, … These pollutants could be responsible for early puberty in girls.
Mary Wolff of Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York) and colleagues conducted the study in 1151 with girls aged 7 to 9 years living in three different regions of the United States.
The three categories of substances tested were largely detectable in urine and high exposures to phthalates and phytoestrogens in particular were associated, albeit modestly, to a premature development of breasts.
A phenol, 2 phytoestrogens, and a subset of phthalates were associated with delayed puberty.
“We believe that there are certain periods of vulnerability in the mammary gland development, and exposure to these chemicals may affect the risk of breast cancer in adulthood. Eating habits may also have an impact” says Dr. Woof. The study confirmed a link that had been shown by previous studies, between the body mass index and early puberty.
Research must continue to determine the importance of different factors, says the researcher.
Prof. Charles Sultan, CHU Montpellier, whose remarks have been collected by the doctor’s Daily, said that these pollutants can affect pubertal development. In certain regions, he says, of “epidemics” of puberty at the age of 8 years are reported. And the ‘window of susceptibility’ organic products tends to grow, for if the age of onset of breast development is more precocious than menarche has not changed much.