Implication of Testosterone in Human Puberty Attainment

Abstract

This study evaluated and compared the serum levels of testosterone in male and female subjects aged 6—10 years. It also assessed the number of children among the subjects who could be potential candidates for precocious puberty based on their hormone levels. Male subjects in the study were 78 (44.1%) with a mean age of 8.3±1.4 years, height of 1.31±0.08 m, mean weight of 26.20±4.83 Kg, and Body Mass Index (BMI) of 15.30±1.71 kg/m2. Female subjects were 99 (55.9%) with a mean age of 8.55±1.37 years, height of 1.34±0.10 m, weight of 27.78±5.36 Kg, and BMI of 15.38±1.68 kg/m2. Results from statistical and clinical analyses showed that female subjects were significantly heavier and taller than male subjects (p <0.05) but the BMIs for both sexes were identical (p>0.05). Male subjects had mean testosterone of 0.49±0.38 ng/ml compared with mean testosterone of 0.57±0.59 for the female subjects. There is no significant age dependent differences in the levels of testosterone in both sexes. Based on the levels of testosterone of the children, only one of the children was adjudged qualified as candidate for precocious puberty.