Purpose of review: Overview of the effects of endocrine disruptors on pubertal timing.
Recent findings: Epidemiologic studies in humans support animal data demonstrating that exposures to endocrine-disrupting compounds have pronounced effects on pubertal timing and that the timing of endocrine-disrupting compound exposure and the specific agent causes different outcomes. Recent studies confirm subtle effects of lead, dioxins, and phytoestrogens on delaying onset of puberty and demonstrate an association of phthalates and polychlorinated biphenyls with earlier breast development and menarche, respectively. These studies, however, are complicated by mixed exposures of compounds which individually may have opposing actions on the reproductive axis.
Summary: Animal and human data confirm perturbations in pubertal onset with exposures to endocrine-disrupting compounds.