EWG

BREAKING: Environmental chemicals may trigger early puberty

Should the FDA protect girls from chemicals linked to early puberty?

Friend,

For decades, girls have been starting puberty earlier and earlier, but the cause has been unknown.

A new report from the National Institutes of Health and Northwestern University shed light on a possible factor: Environmental chemicals found in food, drinks and everyday products are linked to changes in puberty-regulating brain activity.

Early puberty is linked to a higher risk of long-term health problems, such as decreased fertility, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. This trend harms girls in communities of color and lower-income communities at higher rates.

We’re shaping our strategy now in response to this alarming new discovery – and we need your voice. Will you take a short survey to offer your input?

Some of the report’s findings:

•	One compound the study identified as potentially leading to premature puberty was musk ambrette, a fragrance ingredient used in cheap and counterfeit perfumes, air fresheners and personal care products.
•	When tested on animal cells, musk ambrette triggered the release of a hormone that sparks puberty and leads to the production of sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.
•	The study also found another group of chemicals called cholinergic agonists. These chemicals help with muscle movement and memory and can activate a receptor that works like the body’s natural hormone responsible for starting puberty.

We need your input to help us shape our strategy for 2025. We’re looking for 4,000 EWG supporters to weigh in – the survey will only take a few minutes.

Should the FDA protect girls from chemicals linked to early puberty?

YES

– EWG Research Team

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EWG's mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. EWG is a non-profit and non-partisan organization. The EWG Action Fund, a separate sister organization of EWG, is a legislative advocacy organization that promotes healthy and sustainable policies.

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