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When 74 children aged six to twelve were deprived of their TVs and computers for a week, and other sources of artificial light were reduced in their homes, their production of melatonin (a brain hormone produced by the pineal gland) increased by an average 30%. The increases were highest in the youngest children. It was impossible to say whether this was due to reduced exposure to bright light (melatonin is extremely light-sensitive), or to electromagnetic fields from the televisions and computer screens. Melatonin expert Roberto Salti and colleagues at the University of Florence (Italy) believe that this finding may explain why children are hitting puberty earlier and earlier.

Other studies [1] have established that peak night-time melatonin levels gradually fall as children approach puberty.

Ed.- (i) Some US studies [2] have linked television watching to earlier sexual experience, including teenage pregnancies. These studies, however, did not consider melatonin, only exposure to sexual images and discussion. Other studies [3] have shown that children who spend a lot of time watching television or playing video games weigh more than other children, which is also thought to hasten the onset of puberty.

(ii) It is possible that melatonin regulates the human maturing process as well as governing sleep patterns. The higher peak night-time melatonin levels in children also probably explain why they generally need more hours sleep than adults, i.e. while their body systems are developing.

(iii) According to traditional Chinese medical theory, the raw materials for brain hormones like melatonin are adrenal hormones produced in the kidneys, so lower melatonin levels may indicate an underlying kidney deficiency. Electromagnetic fields such as those from TV and computer screens are one of the stressors that can lead to kidney deficiency.

'Precocious puberty' (PP), where signs of puberty begin to show in girls aged below seven and boys below nine, is increasing worldwide. Once thought an extreme case, in Puerto Rico many girls as young as two are developing breasts. The most industrially developed countries are catching up. In the US, a 1997 study [1] covering 17,000 girls found that 27% of African-American girls and 7% of Caucasian girls were showing the beginnings of either pubic hair or breasts by age seven. This study also noted that 3% of African-American girls and 1% of Caucasian girls showed some sign of puberty at age three. A UK study [2] found similar results.

The health ramifications are extremely serious. Girls who have gone through PP tend to start having sex earlier, have an increased risk of pregnancy, experience more psychological stress, mental and behavioural disorders, have lower IQs and are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and commit suicide. Girls whose first period comes at age ten run double the risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to girls who have their first period when sixteen. [3] PP girls also experience far higher rates of breast cancer, infertility, menstrual irregularities, acne and excessive facial hair. PP boys are much more likely to be aggressive, have behavioural problems and learning difficulties, abuse drugs and alcohol, and develop testicular cancer in later life. Possible causes of precocious puberty include:

Oestrogen
PP girls rarely ovulate early even when menstruating. As ovulation is necessary for the production of progesterone, PP girls are exposed to high levels of oestrogen without progesterone's balancing hormonal activity. This must be a factor in their increased risk of ovarian and breast cancer.

Obesity
High levels of fat mean increased levels of a protein called leptin, which encourages early breast development, and of insulin, which causes further oestrogen production.

Chemicals
Dr. Walter Rogan and colleagues at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences measured the levels of chemicals in the bodies of 600 pregnant women, and the levels of chemicals in their breast milk after their babies had been born. The children were then monitored up to puberty. The boys exposed to the pesticide DDE and the girls exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) tended to be heavier than their unexposed peers. The girls exposed to high levels of PCBs also hit puberty earlier.

Endocrine disruptors
A major factor is likely to be the swiftly increasing levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals to which children worldwide are exposed. High blood levels of phthalates (used to soften plastic), for instance, were found in 68% of Puerto Rican PP infant girls.

Hormones in food
Children are particularly at risk in countries which allow farmers to use hormones to boost the growth of beef cattle. In the US, for instance, limited amounts of the female hormones oestrogen, oestradiol and progesterone, the male hormones testosterone, and the synthetic anabolic steroids Trenbolene and Zeranol may be implanted (in pellets) beneath the cow's ear skin. There is no requirement for a 'dehormonising period' prior to slaughter, and no requirement for dosing records to be kept. Widespread abuse, including the illegal implanting of hormone pellets directly into muscle (the meat), ensures that Americans get a substantial dose of hormones and steroids every time they tuck into a beefburger.

Both the US medical establishment and its Food and Drink Authority (FDA) appear to have turned a blind eye to the increased risks of breast, uterine, testicular and prostate cancer posed by their super-hormone meat. Rather than act to stop this poisoning, one nationwide network of physicians has simply brushed away the problem by redefining the normal age of puberty. Seven year old Caucasian girls and six year old African-American with breasts are now officially normal. [4]

Minimising exposure

• Never use any synthetic pesticide, herbicide or insecticide in the garden or house

• Campaign to persuade the local authority to ban their use in favour of alternative natural pest controls

• Make you diet as organic as possible

• Eat foods which:

  help the liver detoxify the body, e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, turnip, asparagus, spinach, watermelon, pears, squash and potatoes

  stimulate the body's production of glutathione,* e.g. garlic, shallots, onions, chives

remove pollution and radiation from the body, e.g. miso, fermented soybean paste (tempeh) and seaweed

• Thoroughly wash any non-organic fruit and vegetables. Some health food shops supply special washes but adding a little apple cider vinegar to a bowl of water will do the trick. The other option is to use a mild bleach solution, but make sure that the bleach is chlorine-free. Rinse the food in clean water after its bath and let it stand for ten minutes in pure water

• Use organic or chemical-free body and hair care products (like those of the Green People Company from Lifeworks mail order). Of the 2,983 chemicals registered for use in cosmetics, 884 (nearly a third) have been reported to be toxic substances

• Do not let children chew on plastic toys

• Do not use lice or scabies shampoos containing lindane or synthetic pyrethroid. There are plenty of safe and natural alternative treatments

• Teach your children to wash their hands frequently, and not to lick their fingers or bite their nails

• Avoid buying canned foods or foods contained in plastic. Remove packaging as quickly as possible. Never cook or microwave in plastic containers, even where these claim to be oven- or microwave-safe. Always transfer foods into glassware before cooking

• Familiarise yourself with the names of toxic substances and make a point of reading the contents labels of foods, household cleaning and personal care products, lawn, garden and pet supplies

• Install a water filter as near as possible to the tap you use for drinking or cooking water. Check what the filter claims to filter out. They are all different. The most effective filter is a reverse osmosis filter but these can be expensive (see ed.). If possible fit a second filter just before the bath/shower tap

• Install plants to filter the air inside the house. Boston ferns, for instance, can detoxify 1,000 micrograms of formaldehyde (e.g. from new carpets, curtains or flooring) an hour

• Exercise to the point of sweating, which detoxifies the body. Saunas and steam rooms can help

• Do not use any synthetic pet products, which are bad for both the pets and get transferred to the owners

* Glutathione, a small molecule made inside nearly every type of cell from three constituent amino acids: glycine, glutamate and cysteine.

Ed.- Many other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada (but not the European Union) permit the use of natural oestrogen, oestradiol-178 and progesterone for raising livestock. It would be wise to stick to meat from European countries, even though this is likely to contain antibiotics and pesticides. Go for organic if you can.