Stress, Androgens Shape Pubescent Development Timing in Girls

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By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, Senior Medical Editor, B. Pharm. Last updated on April 16, 2026.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, April 16, 2026 -- High levels of stress, body mass index (BMI), and certain hormones are linked to earlier puberty in girls, according to a study published online April 7 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Lauren C. Houghton, Ph.D., from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, and colleagues identified steroid metabolome patterns linked to accelerated puberty and tested whether BMI and stress markers modify this relationship. The analysis included data from 327 girls (aged 5 to 13 years) participating in the LEGACY Girls Study.

The researchers found that during six years of follow-up, accelerated thelarche was associated with higher prepubertal urinary metabolites of glucocorticoids (hazard ratio [HR], 1.9), androgens (HR, 3.9), and progesterone (HR, 6.7). The combination of high glucocorticoid metabolites and high BMI and stress was associated with thelarche seven months earlier than in peers with low measures.

"Stress-reducing interventions and healthy lifestyle changes may help delay early puberty and improve long-term health outcomes," Houghton said in a statement. "Because early puberty is linked to increased breast cancer risk later in life, the results have important implications for both pediatric care and public health."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-04-17 09:09

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