Endocrine Society

Certain sweeteners linked to early puberty in children

July 21, 2025

Researchers found that sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, glycyrrhizin, and added sugars were linked to a higher risk of central precocious puberty, particularly in genetically predisposed children, according to a press release from the 2025 Endocrine Society annual meeting.

Study details. The Taiwan Pubertal Longitudinal Study (TPLS), launched in 2018, included 1,407 teens. Researchers assessed sweetener intake through questionnaires and urine tests, and measured genetic predisposition using polygenic risk scores from 19 genes associated with early puberty. Diagnosis was based on medical exams, hormone levels, and imaging.

Results. Central precocious puberty was diagnosed in 481 teens. Sucralose intake was linked to higher risk in boys; while glycyrrhizin, sucralose, and added sugars were associated with increased risk in girls. Previous research by the same group has shown that certain sweeteners may influence puberty-related hormones and gut microbiota, offering potential mechanistic explanations for the observed associations.

Source:

(2025, July 13). Endocrine Society. Consuming certain sweeteners may increase risk of early puberty [Press release]. https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/endo-annual-meeting/endo-2025-press-releases/chen-press-release