Precocious Puberty In Girls May Be Delayed By Vitamin D Supplementation

Re-blogged from Medical News Today-

Vitamin D supplementation may help delay early onset of puberty in girls, a new clinical study finds. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. 

Among girls, puberty generally begins between the ages of 10 and 14. Boys undergo these changes later, usually between 12 to 16 years of age. Precocious puberty is diagnosed in girls when sexual development begins before the age of 8; in boys, it is diagnosed when these changes occur before age 9. 

Recently, medical research has linked vitamin D deficiency to a number of diseases, including cancer, obesity and autoimmune disease. Low vitamin D levels have been found in girls with precocious puberty, as well, although the exact relationship between vitamin D deficiency and early development remains unclear. 

To determine how low vitamin D deficiency is related to precocious puberty, investigators in the current study compared blood levels of the vitamin between girls with early and normal development. 

They found that girls with precocious puberty were significantly more likely than those with age-appropriate development to have a severe vitamin D deficiency. Among the precocious puberty group, 44 percent had a severe deficiency in vitamin D, compared to 21 percent of the group with age-appropriate physical development. Study participants included 110 girls between the ages of 7 to 10 years. Seventy-five girls exhibited normal patterns of development, while 35 were classified as having precocious puberty. Investigators used the Tanner scale, which assesses human physical development, to differentiate normal versus precocious pubertal development. 

More research, including studies in animal models, is necessary to confirm this project's findings. 

Your First Gynecologist Visit

Everyone remembers their age when they visited the gynecologist for the first time. It can be seen as a monumental step towards your women-hood. However, not everyone knows what to expect at their first gynecologist appointment.

The initial appointment  is to lay the ground work for the bodies future health and wellness. According to Dr. Stepanian, females should have their first visit between the ages of 13 and 15 or whenever their menstrual cycle begins. This is so teens can be educated about their bodies and understand the importance of establishing a trusting and comfortable relationship with their gynecologist.

Typical topics covered in the first meeting will range from patient to patient but usually revolve around acne, regular or irregular periods, breast changes, pelvic pain and much more. Family history and preexisting conditions will also be discussed at this time.

It is important to add a visit to the gynecologist to your list of annual health check ups. Keeping up on your female health can help prevent any future issues.