This does not mean that early pubertal onset “causes” any of these conditions, but there is a propensity towards them. Taking action early on can help steer a child towards a healthier life.

Don’t Vilify Soy

In an interview with Holistic Primary Care, Deardorf– a clinical psychologist at UC Berkley—challenged what she and her colleague view as myths that have emerged about premature puberty, including the notion that the declining age of puberty is the result of hormones in meat, or phytoestrogens in soy.

She believes there are three dominant risk factors for early development:

• Excess Fat: Adipose tissue is very biologically active and is capable of producing hormones that can stimulate early development like estrogen. Adipose cells also secrete leptin, which is tied to the onset of puberty. This hormone, which is supposed to increase satiety is, “necessary but not sufficient, in other words it opens the door for puberty to commence.”
• Environmental Factors: Many household products contain endocrine disruptors that may dysregulate the natural hormonal balance. These compounds include antibiotics, phenols (like Bisphenol-A), phthalates, flame retardants, pesticides, PCB’s, and even natural compounds found in lavender and tea tree oil. Some of these may mimic the effects of estrogen in the body and increase the chance of hormone dysregulation and perhaps even weight gain. These substances are found in everything from non-organic food, to beauty and cleaning products, cookware, and even mattresses, sofas, and carpeting.
• Stress: Recent research suggests that stress plays a part in pubertal timing. Girls exposed to high levels of stress early in life tend to experience pubertal development earlier than girls with lower stress levels. Studies have also shown a higher prevalence of early puberty among girls who grew up without their biological fathers, or who were adopted as infants. Early childhood stressors and other psychosocial variables may get overlooked in our collective haste to put the sole blame on environmental toxins or dietary factors.

Soy has gained a bad reputation as a promoter of premature puberty due to its high phytoestrogen content. Yet recent research suggests it may not be such a culprit after all. In fact, soy consumption may actually be beneficial. If girls are exposed to phytoestrogens in soy at an early age, it may desensitize their estrogen receptors and make them less reactive to the effects of real estrogen. “Soy may have a protective effect against early development,” argues Dr. Deardorff.

Promote Positive Lifestyle

To promote optimal health in pre-pubertal girls, Deardorff recommends a whole foods diet, with emphasis on eating organic as much as possible, especially for animal products like meat, eggs and dairy. When organic fruits or vegetables are not an option for whatever reason, people should know to thoroughly wash their conventionally-grown produce to decrease their pesticide exposure.

In order to improve young girls’ diets, Deardorff suggests “tackling the low hanging fruits first”. For example, adding additional servings of whole fruits and vegetables, and eliminating all sugary beverages can make a big difference. Although they may seem like simple steps, these changes can actually be a great overhaul for many families. It is important for clinicians to keep that in mind.  

Given how many potentially endocrine-disrupting compounds are now present in our food, cosmetics, and household products, it does make sense for parents concerned about precocious puberty to eliminate products containing these substances as much as possible.

Again, this sounds simple, but it can be overwhelming to many families and even infeasible if they attempt to get rid of everything all at once. Similar to the dietary recommendations, Deardorff suggests, “taking baby steps, replace disposable products with a non-toxic alternative when you run out, and hold off on replacing the big ticket items until your budget allows.”

Regular exercise and healthy sleep habits are very important for young girls, and can go a long way in regulating hormone balance and decreasing excess body fat—a major driver of the early puberty phenomenon. Deardorff also emphasized limiting childrens’ screen time. Hours spent passively in front of computers or TVs are not very healthy for young kids.

The Cuddle Factor

Deardorff believes it is very important to pay attention to the stress factors and emotional milieu surrounding prepubertal girls. The latest research shows that “having close, warm, stable relationships and parental monitoring have strong protective effects”.

Quoting the book, Parenting Without Power Struggles by Sue Stiffelman, Deardorff suggests “the best role for parents to take is to act as captains of their ship, even when the waters are rough, and navigating their child’s development.” Another way of looking at it is for parents to act as scaffolding for their childrens’ growth, supporting and structuring their development.

Parents should strive to maintain open and active lines of communication with their daughters. Discussions that normalize body development can prove invaluable. Deardorff recommends to “start the discussions about pubertal changes with a non-threatening subject such as hygiene and body odor, which usually precede actual puberty.”

Although boys are largely left out of public and even scientific discussion of precocious puberty, we should not turn a blind eye. The absence of conversation is mostly because that research is still in its infancy.

It’s not clear whether boys are experiencing a similar shift in when they start puberty. Some of the same factors that initiate puberty early in girls may delay it in boys.

From a practical viewpoint, boys can benefit from all of the same recommendations that would be applied to girls. Even if boys are not experiencing early puberty as frequently as girls, they will need additional support to understand and respond appropriately to the discrepancy in development between themselves and their siblings or classmates.

The message that Deardorff echoed throughout the interview is that even though precocious puberty is a serious concern, it warrants reasoned attention and not alarm.

“There are a lot of protective factors for girls going through early puberty” she stated. Parents and physicians can take steps to protect against early puberty or mitigate the associated negative effects. Together, they can play a vital role in shaping the future landscape of health for today’s young girls.

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Kathleen Jones MS, is a recent graduate of New York Chiropractic College where she received a degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition, and is currently a nutrition intern at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She resides in Washington DC and is pursuing certification as a Certified Nutrition Specialist practitioner through the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists.