ESPE Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology

Sci Rep. 2025 Mar 19;15(1):9506. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-93895-5. PMID: 40108242.

Brief summary: This cross-sectional observational study, involving 2,056 healthy young Danish men, showed that those who experienced later pubertal voice break had lower lumbar bone mass and a leaner body composition. In contrast, earlier puberty timing was associated with higher bone density but minimal difference in body composition.

Pubertal timing influences long-term health outcomes, including bone density and body composition (1). While early or late puberty has been linked to various adult health risks, its impact on skeletal and muscular development in young men remains underexplored. This study assessed whether self-reported timing of voice break (a late pubertal milestone) correlates with bone and body composition in healthy young adult men.

In a cohort of 2,056 Danish men (median age 19), those reporting earlier voice break had higher lumbar and total body bone mineral density (BMD), but no difference in body composition, aside from slightly higher BMI and trunk fat mass. Conversely, men with later voice break had lower lumbar bone mineral content, bone area, and volume, although BMD was similar. They also had lower BMI, lean mass, and fat mass, resulting in a lower fat-to-muscle ratio and a relatively leaner body composition. These associations persisted after adjusting for age, BMI, lifestyle, and hormonal factors.

Physiological variation in pubertal timing is associated with measurable differences in bone and body composition in young adulthood. Early puberty correlates with higher BMD, while late puberty is linked to a leaner body profile and lower bone mass, suggesting that pubertal timing may influence peak bone mass acquisition and metabolic health trajectories.

Reference: 1. Bonjour JP, Chevalley T. Pubertal timing, bone acquisition, and risk of fracture throughout life. EndocrRev. 2014 Oct;35(5):820-47. doi: 10.1210/er.2014-1007. Epub 2014 Aug 25. PMID: 25153348.