Some Genes Might Send Girls Into Puberty Earlier

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• July 2, 2024
• Full Page

A girl's genetics can indirectly influence the age when she has her first period, by accelerating her weight gain in childhood, a new study finds.

A number of other genes also can directly affect the age of puberty, some with profound effects, researchers added.

Mo...

PFAS Chemicals Tied to Later Puberty in Girls

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 3, 2023
• Full Page

Exposure to ubiquitous chemicals known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, may delay puberty in girls, new research indicates.

The study is the first to consider the role hormones play in the delay, according to researchers from the University of Cincinnati....

COVID Pandemic Might Have Pushed More Girls Into Early Puberty

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• August 3, 2023
• Full Page

More girls started puberty before age 8 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenon called precocious puberty, researchers say.

The reasons include potential risk factors such as increased screen time and less exercise, according to a new study, published online Aug. 3 in...

Study Counters Myth That Contraceptive Pill Enlarges Breasts in Teen Girls

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 3, 2022
• Full Page

Birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin do not contribute to growth of enlarged breasts in teens and young women, a new study finds, and may actually be associated with developing less severe breast enlargement.

Moreover, the combination pills don't ...

Your Metabolism Changes As You Age, Just Not When You Think

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• August 13, 2021
• Full Page

Everyone knows that your metabolism peaks in your teenage years, when you're fit and active and feeling your oats.

And everyone knows that a person's metabolism slows down in middle age, as bodies start to expand and sag, and become less energetic.

But that's all w...