A Turkish study, conducted in mice, investigated how exposure to blue light emitted by electronic devices can affect reproductive hormone levels and how the same duration of use affects hormonal changes.
Blue light emitted from smartphones and tablets could increase the risk of early pubertal, altering hormone levels. This is supported by a Turkish study conducted on mice and presented on the occasion of the 60th Annual Meeting of Pediatric Endocrinology. In the past prolonged use of mobile devices had been linked to sleep disturbances in childrenbecause blue light inhibits the increase in levels of melatonin, which is the hormone that regulates the quality of sleep and whose values are overall higher during pre-pubertal. More recently, however, numerous searches had recorded a lowering of the age of onset of puberty in girlsespecially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the time spent in front of the screens had been considerably longer.
Reproductive hormones
Starting from these considerations, Dr. Aylin Kilin Uğurlu and her colleagues from Ankara wanted to investigate how blue light exposure affected emitted by electronic devices on levels of reproductive hormones and on the moment of onset of puberty. To do this, the Turkish team used 18 female laboratory guinea pigs, divided into 3 groups of 6 and then exposed to a normal light cycle and 6 or 12 hours of blue light. The first signs of puberting appeared significantly earlier in all mice exposed to blue lightwhich also presented a reduction in melatonin levels and an increased production of specifics reproductive hormones, such as estradiol and luteinizing hormone, as well as physical changes in ovarian tissue, all consistent with the onset of puberty. As if that were not enough, the longer the duration of exposure was and the earlier the onset of puberty resulted, with mice exposed to 12 hours of blue light also showing signs of cell damage and inflammation of the ovaries.
The study on mice
As this is a study in mice, we cannot be sure that these results will also be replicated in children – explained Dr Kilin Uğurlu – but our data suggests that exposure to blue light could be considered. a risk factor for early puberty. Although it is difficult to mimic blue light exposure equivalent to using a child’s smartphones and tablets in mice, the time period of onset of puberty in mice is almost the same as in humans. hormonal changes and ovulation occurring in pre-pubertal and pubertal are similar.
Reduce the exposure
That is why the results of the Turkish study are worth considering a first step for further study, aimed at investigating the potential effects of blue light exposure on hormone levels and on the onset of puberty in children. Although this is not a conclusive study – underlined the author of the research -, we feel obliged to advise minimize the use of electronic devices that emit blue light in prepubertal children, especially in the evening, when exposure could alter hormone levels to a greater extent.
September 25, 2022 (change September 25, 2022 | 10:30 am)
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