Turkish scientists presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology
In their work, biologists used rats toto study the effect of blue light exposure on reproductive hormone levels and the timing of puberty. The female rats were divided into three groups of six animals. The first of them was exposed to daylight, the second and third - blue for 6 and 12 hours, respectively.
In rats from both groups, which were irradiated with bluelight, the first signs of puberty occurred much earlier than in the control. Moreover, the longer the exposure lasted, the earlier maturity occurred. In addition, the studied rats showed increased levels of melatonin, reproductive hormones (estradiol and luteinizing hormone), as well as changes in ovarian tissues characteristic of puberty.
Although the study was conducted on rats andSince the results cannot be extrapolated to humans, the researchers recommend reducing the amount of blue light exposure from smartphone and tablet screens in children. In recent years, several studies have reported an increase in early puberty in girls, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, they add. Perhaps one of the reasons is the increased use of mobile devices during the pandemic.
Numerous studies have previously shownan increase, including in humans, in the amount of melatonin under the influence of radiation from screens. Sleep disturbance is usually associated with this effect. But this hormone may also influence the development of the reproductive system: melatonin levels are generally higher before puberty than during it, which means it may play a role in delaying the onset of puberty, the scientists conclude.
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