Early puberty linked to higher long-term aging risks

When puberty or childbirth happens early, it can affect health for life. Buck Institute researchers found that girls who start menstruating before age 11 or women who give birth before 21 face higher risks. Their chances of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, or heart failure nearly double.

The risk of serious metabolic problems can even quadruple. On the other hand, women who experience puberty or childbirth later often live longer and age more slowly. They also show lower rates of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Study senior author Dr. Pankaj Kapahi, a professor at the Buck Institute, believes this matters for everyday healthcare.

“Even though women are routinely asked about their menstrual and childbirth history when they receive medical care, this information has rarely factored into the care they receive outside of OB/GYN,” said Dr. Kapahi.

“These risk factors, whether positive or negative, clearly have significant influence on a variety of age-related diseases and should be considered in the larger context of overall health.”

Puberty and childbirth linked to aging

The team studied genetic data from almost 200,000 women in the UK Biobank. They found more than 150 genetic markers linked to reproductive timing.

Many of these markers fall into pathways that control growth and aging. These pathways regulate how the body handles energy, nutrients, and stress.

“Many of these markers are involved in well-known longevity pathways, such as IGF-1, growth hormone, AMPK and mTOR signaling, key regulators of metabolism and aging,” noted Yifan Xiang, MD, the postdoctoral fellow who led the work.

Early childbirth speeds aging

Evolution cares most about survival and reproduction. That focus comes with tradeoffs.

“Our study provides some of the strongest human evidence for this theory. We show that genetic factors favoring early reproduction come with the significant cost later in life including accelerated aging and disease,” noted Dr. Kapahi.

“It makes sense that the very factors that help enhance survival of the offspring may lead to detrimental consequences for the mother.”

This supports the antagonistic pleiotropy theory. Traits that help early in life can become harmful with age.

Another idea, the disposable soma theory, also fits here. It suggests the body uses resources for reproduction at the expense of repair. Over time, that choice speeds up aging.

Why body weight matters

Body Mass Index (BMI) plays a big role in this process. Women with early puberty or childbirth tend to have higher BMI later. That extra weight then drives up the risk for diabetes, heart failure, and even cancer.

“One can envisage that enhancing the ability to absorb nutrients would benefit the offspring but if nutrients are plentiful then it can enhance the risk of obesity and diabetes,” said Dr. Kapahi.

This pattern makes sense in the context of history. In times of food scarcity, storing energy meant survival. In today’s world, with food everywhere, the same trait can backfire.

Timing should guide healthcare

The research shows that reproductive timing should matter in medical care. Early puberty or childbirth could serve as a signal for earlier screenings and lifestyle support.

Dr. Kapahi noted that girls in the US are starting menstruation earlier – about three months sooner per decade since the 1970s. No single cause explains this, but obesity may play a part.

Current research methods may also need to adapt. Many experiments use virgin female mice as models, which may not reflect real-world patterns of aging in women who reproduce.

Genetic tradeoffs shape future health

“If evolution has shaped us to prioritize early reproduction at the cost of aging, how can we leverage this knowledge to extend healthspan in modern society?”

“While we cannot change our genetic inheritance, understanding these genetic tradeoffs empowers us to make informed choices about health, lifestyle and medical care,” said Dr. Kapahi.

The study also points to genetic pathways that might one day be targeted to improve health for mothers and children alike. What helped us survive in the past may harm us now, but awareness gives us tools to act differently.

The study is published in the journal eLife.

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