4 ms·
My understanding is that puberty is earlier due to additives in food. Tofu, for example, has compounds that mimic female hormones. Compounds in soft plastics
by e40 11y ago
My understanding is that puberty is earlier due to additives in food. Tofu, for example, has compounds that mimic female hormones. Compounds in soft plastics are thought to disrupt the hormones of young children, too.
- snowwrestler 11y agoThis is an unproven and somewhat controversial hypothesis.
- fishtoaster 11y agoThat's an interesting theory- I don't think I've heard anyone claim that before. Do you have any sources off-hand? It kinda sounds pseudosciency, but I haven't looked into it at all.
- biot 11y agoThe relationships (tofu, plastics) are often fairly weak, but measurable: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A#Health_effects https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A#Health_effects https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoestrogens#Effects_on_Humans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoestrogens#Effects_on_Huma...
- stvswn 11y agoAs long as we're throwing out unproven but provocative theories along these lines -- I think I read something about how residual compounds from birth control passes through to urine and then into our water supply in trace amounts, triggering hormonal changes that lead to earlier puberty. I like that one, it has a lot of things going for it: tainted water supply, culpability of drug companies, punishment for our hubris in thinking we could control reproduction, etc.
- pavel_lishin 11y agoDon't forget that it would probably be a stronger effect in more populated areas, so on the surface you'd expect it to hit inner cities more.