“Endocrine disruptors” effects on pubertal development

Key words: Endocrine disruptors, Puberty

The potential effects of “endocrine disruptors” (ECDs) on the human health draw the attention of the scientific community. They are natural or synthetic substances that can alter the action of the endogenous hormones or have biological effects similar to them. Among the causes of precocious puberty there is an increased exposure to “endocrine disruptors” contained in food, in household or personal hygiene products. The paper describes a case in which the early development of pubertal signs is due to the intake of soy milk since the first months of life. Such milk contains elevated quantities of isoflavones, one of the principal environmental factors that interfere with endocrine signals and particularly with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.