Girls Who Hit Puberty Early Face Faster Ageing and Higher Health Risks: Research

A new study has found that women who experience puberty at an early age or give birth too soon face a much higher risk of health problems and faster ageing. On the other hand, women who go through these stages later in life may gain protection from several age-related conditions.

Early puberty and health risks

The research, published in eLife, shows that girls who begin menstruation before the age of 11 or women who have their first child before the age of 21 are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart failure and obesity. They are also four times more likely to suffer from serious metabolic disorders. The findings suggest that the timing of reproduction plays a key role in how the body ages and how diseases appear later in life.

Later timing offers benefits

The study further reveals that late puberty and childbirth are linked to longer life, reduced frailty, slower ageing at the cellular level, and lower chances of illnesses such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Senior author Pankaj Kapahi, PhD, from the Buck Institute, said these findings highlight important public health issues. He explained that while doctors often ask women about their menstrual and childbirth history, this information is rarely considered outside of gynecological care. According to him, these risk factors strongly influence age-related diseases and should be included in overall health assessments.

Genetic markers and future research

The team analysed data from almost 200,000 women in the UK Biobank and identified 126 genetic markers connected to early puberty and childbirth. Many of these are part of major longevity pathways such as IGF-1, growth hormone, AMPK and mTOR, which regulate ageing and metabolism. Lead researcher and postdoctoral fellow Yifan Xiang, MD, noted that these markers give clear insight into how reproductive timing shapes health. Kapahi added that while animal studies often use virgin female mice, this does not reflect real-life ageing in women, pointing out the need for improved research models. He said that evolution has prioritised early reproduction even at the cost of faster ageing, but with modern science, it may be possible to use this knowledge to improve healthspan. The study also pointed to genetic pathways that could be targeted to improve health for both mothers and their children.Other researchers who contributed to the study include Vineeta Tanwar, Parminder Singh and Lizellen La Follette.