Shocking Study Links Kids' Snacks to Dangerous Early Puberty
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted July 20, 2025
Kids are growing up in a world vastly different from the one we knew.
Back in our day, if a child wanted something sweet, it was a piece of candy or a homemade cookie. Today’s kids are surrounded by products filled with artificial sweeteners that didn’t even exist when we were raising our own children.
Now, troubling new research from Taiwan suggests these modern sugar substitutes might be pushing our grandchildren into puberty far earlier than nature intended.
If you’ve wondered why kids seem to grow up faster these days, this study offers some concerning answers every parent and grandparent should be aware of.
A shocking new study makes it clear we need to take a closer look at what’s really in those “healthier” alternatives we’ve been feeding the children in our lives.
Researchers followed over 1,400 teenagers and discovered something eye-opening: kids who regularly consumed artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose—as well as natural ones like glycyrrhizin from licorice—were significantly more likely to hit puberty early.
These sweeteners are in practically everything—diet sodas, sugar-free gum, flavored yogurts, protein bars, even some kids’ medications. They’re everywhere, and they’re messing with our children’s hormones in ways we never saw coming.
Boys were hit hardest by sucralose, while girls were more affected by a mix of glycyrrhizin, sucralose, and added sugars.
Turns out, sweeteners like acesulfame potassium activate “sweet taste” pathways in brain cells that trigger puberty-related hormones.
Meanwhile, the licorice compound glycyrrhizin is disrupting the balance of gut bacteria and interfering with genes that normally regulate puberty timing.
Early puberty is a much bigger deal than you might think. It goes way beyond just hitting growth spurts a little sooner.
Kids who go through early puberty face serious long-term health risks, including increased chances of metabolic disorders, heart disease, and even reproductive cancers down the road.
But the emotional toll may be even worse. These kids are dealing with intense hormonal changes while their brains are still developing the tools to cope. They’re more likely to struggle with anxiety, depression, and body image issues.
Kids with specific genetic markers were especially vulnerable to the effects. So, it’s not just about what they’re eating—it’s about how their unique biology responds to these compounds.
The researchers believe that genetic screening could become a tool to help identify which children are most at risk. But I have a better idea—immediately cut these sweeteners out of the diet of any kid you care about.
Whether or not they’re at a higher risk, there are plenty of other good reasons to ditch these sweeteners. (And while you’re at it, be sure to dump them from your diet too.) As I’ve reported before, they trigger overeating, mess with your gut, spike your blood sugar, increase your risk of diabetes, and even harm your heart.
The solution isn’t complicated—it’s just not always convenient. We don’t need to turn into food police, but we do need to be more aware of what we’re putting in our kids’ bodies. We need to get back to real food.
When your kid wants something sweet, offer an apple with almond butter instead of a protein bar loaded with sucralose. When they’re thirsty, try water with a splash of real fruit juice instead of aspartame-laced diet soda.
This study is just one piece of the early puberty puzzle, but it’s an important one that shouldn’t be ignored.
P.S. Discover how artificial sweeteners threaten one of your most precious organs.
Source:
Yang-Ching Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Taiwan Pubertal Longitudinal Study new findings presented at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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