A new study finds both added sugars and artificial sweeteners are associated with a higher risk of early puberty, especially in children with a genetic predisposition.
Added sugars and artificial sweeteners may increase the risk of early puberty in some children, a new study finds.
According to researchers, sugar, aspartame, sucralose and glycyrrhizin are all significantly associated with a higher risk of early puberty, especially in children with a genetic predisposition.
“CPP has been increasing rapidly throughout the past decades. In Taiwan, the prevalence has become sevenfold increase per every 10 years. So, we are so curious of whether some unknown nutritional or environmental issues will cause early puberty,” says Yang-Ching Chen, MD, PhD, of Taipei Medical University.
CPP refers to central precocious puberty, the early activation of hormones that trigger sexual development – typically before the age of 8 in girls and before the age of 9 in boys.
It can lead to mental distress, shorter stature in adulthood and an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes later in life.
Dr. Chen and her team analyzed data from more than 1,400 teens in Taiwan. 481 had experienced central precocious puberty.
Participants filled out questionnaires to assess their sweetener intake and underwent genetic testing to look for 19 markers related to central precocious puberty.
The results revealed surprising gender differences. Sucralose was associated with an increased risk of early puberty in boys, while sucralose, glycyrrhizin and added sugars were linked to an increased risk in girls.
Dr. Chen says the more of these sweeteners the teens consumed, the higher their risk.
“We want to inform the parents and the healthcare givers that children undergoing puberty growth, you need to be aware of that they cannot consume these kinds of diet drinks too much because they contain many artificial sweeteners and non-nutritive sweeteners, which could possibly trigger higher risk of CPP.”
Chen says these findings “could lead to new dietary guidelines or risk assessment tools” for early puberty.
Her previous research found that certain sweeteners can directly influence hormones and gut bacteria linked to early puberty.
Source: ENDO 2025
Author Affiliations: Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University
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