August 5, 2025, 2:11 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Puberty is an exciting, challenging phase of life full of physical and emotional changes. Did you know that certain foods can influence the onset of puberty, sometimes even earlier than expected? Learn from expert Dr. Heidi Gößlinghoff, a gynecologist and mentor for women and couples with unfulfilled desires for children, what controls the onset of puberty in girls and the role nutrition plays. In fact, it can contribute to an early or late onset of puberty. Foods that can promote early puberty include dairy products and highly processed foods.
“The onset of puberty in girls is often equated with menarche, the first menstrual period. However, puberty actually begins years earlier, usually unnoticed externally, with adrenarche and gonadarche. Adrenarche refers to the maturation of the adrenal cortex, which begins around the age of six to eight. This stimulates the production of androgens, the hormones that promote the growth of pubic and underarm hair,” explains Dr. Gößlinghoff. “The subsequent gonadarche activates the ovaries through the initial production of LH and FSH, which then produce more estrogens. These female sex hormones are responsible for breast growth and other visible physical changes.”
When Does Puberty Begin in Girls?
Typically, puberty in girls begins between the ages of eight and thirteen, with menarche usually occurring two to three years after the onset of breast development. In recent decades, experts worldwide have observed that girls are entering puberty earlier. Whether this is a harmless biological shift or a concerning health trend is currently being intensively researched.
What Influences the Onset of Puberty?
The exact start of puberty varies from girl to girl and is influenced by a range of factors. In addition to genetics, lifestyle, environment, and psychosocial aspects also play a role.
Heredity: The Strongest Influence
The most important factor is genetics. The age at which the mother or close female relatives entered puberty is a strong indicator of when it might start for the next generation.
Body Weight and Nutrition
Body fat percentage also affects the onset of puberty. Girls with higher body weight produce more of the hormone leptin, which can activate the hormonal axis for the start of puberty earlier. At the same time, general nutrition plays an increasing role. Both a very high-calorie and a highly restricted diet can influence the natural course of development.
Environment and Chemicals
Environmental chemicals such as Bisphenol A or plasticizers in plastics are increasingly coming into focus. They belong to the so-called endocrine disruptors and can act hormonally in the body, potentially influencing the natural onset of puberty.
Not to Be Underestimated: The Connection Between Puberty Onset and Psychosocial Factors
“Chronic stress, family burdens, or traumatic experiences can disrupt the hormonal balance and thus accelerate or delay the onset of puberty. Psychosocial factors such as family situation or emotional environment should not be underestimated in this context,” emphasizes Dr. Gößlinghoff. “Studies show that girls who grow up in stressful or unstable family conditions often enter puberty earlier. This clearly shows us again how closely the body and psyche are connected.”
Can Nutrition Influence the Onset of Puberty?
“Nutrition can indeed influence hormonal regulation and thus the onset of puberty. Scientific studies show connections between certain dietary habits and the timing of puberty, with the effects often being complex and multifactorial. You must note that there is not ‘one’ food group that alone shifts puberty, but it is a combination of nutrient availability, calorie intake, body fat percentage, and hormonally active substances in foods,” clarifies Dr. Gößlinghoff.
Which Eating Habits and Foods Can Trigger Early Puberty?
Overweight
A higher body fat percentage increases leptin production, which activates the brain-hormone cycle. Being overweight is therefore one of the most important factors for early puberty.
Sugar Consumption and Highly Processed Foods
Sugar-rich and highly processed products like fast food, soft drinks, and sweets promote overweight and insulin resistance. An increased insulin level can, in turn, stimulate the so-called gonadotropin-releasing hormone axis, which controls the start of puberty. Girls with high sugar consumption tend to get their first menstruation earlier.
Dairy and Soy Products
Milk contains natural growth hormones and estrogens that can affect the hormonal balance. Soy products also contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) that mimic the body and can theoretically promote the onset of puberty.
Animal Protein
A high intake of protein from animal sources can potentially promote the so-called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which boosts body growth and sex hormones.
How Visceral Fat Affects Hormone Balance
Why Women Shouldn’t Settle for This Intimate Problem
Can Foods Also Delay Puberty?
Vegan Diet
Vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns, rich in fiber, plant proteins, and low in calories, show a slight delay in the onset of puberty in some studies.
Low Body Fat Percentage
A too-low body fat percentage, for example, in athletes or girls with eating disorders, can significantly delay or even completely halt the onset of puberty (amenorrhea).
Conclusion
Puberty is a complex biological process influenced by genetic, hormonal, psychosocial, and environmental factors. Nutrition plays an important role, both for healthy physical development and the timing of puberty onset. A conscious approach to nutrition, avoiding being overweight and ensuring a balanced nutrient intake, is therefore essential.