The evolution of thyroid function with puberty
Abstract
Summary: Objective This study was planned to describe thyroid functional status in different stages of puberty. Study design We collected data from five schools across different geographical zones of Delhi. All children who consented were evaluated for anthropometry, pubertal stage, goitre status, serum free T3 (FT3), free T4 (FT4), TSH, anti‐TPO (thyroid peroxidase) antibodies and thyroid ultrasound. From this sample, a disease‐ and risk‐free or ‘reference population’ was obtained by excluding those with history of thyroid disease or use of thyroid medications, family history of thyroid disease, goitre, hypoechogenicity or nodularity on ultrasound or positive antithyroid antibodies. Results The ‘total population’ comprised 3722 children; the ‘reference population’ comprised 2134 subjects. The mean, median, 3rd and 97th percentiles of serum FT3, FT4 and TSH for each stage of puberty were obtained. In both boys and girls, FT3 increased with entry into puberty and either stayed constant or declined marginally after stage 3 of puberty. In contrast, in both genders, FT4 decreased with entry into puberty and stayed relatively constant after stage 3 of puberty. TSH levels declined through puberty in boys, but remained largely unchanged in girls. An increased conversion of T4 to T3 is the possible explanation for this finding. Conclusions This large community‐based study in school‐age children using strict exclusion criteria provides data of thyroid function in the various stages of puberty. There is no evidence of ‘thyroidarche’ during or preceding puberty.
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Free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels fall with age.
“Free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels fall with age and appear to play a role in pubertal development, during which it shows a strong relationship with fat mass.”
From Age-related variation in thyroid function – a narrative review highlighting important implications for research and clinical practice (2023) · cites this paper as [44]
Previous cross-sectional studies have indicated that FT3 falls and FT4 rises from age 4 years.
“Previous cross-sectional studies have indicated that free triiodothyronine (FT3) falls and FT4 rises from age 4 years [43–45].”
From Age-related variation in thyroid function – a narrative review highlighting important implications for research and clinical practice (2023) · cites this paper as [44]
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“Likewise, the study by Marwaha and colleagues in Indian children showed that the onset of puberty was accompanied by a rise in FT3 together with a corresponding fall in FT4 [44].”
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- Authors
- Marwaha, R. K., Tandon, N., Desai, A. K., Kanwar, R., Sastry, A., Narang, A., Singh, S., Bhadra, K., & Mani, K.
- Affiliations
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (IN)
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (IN)
- Goa Medical College (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Marwaha, Raman Kumar
- Venue
- Clinical Endocrinology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-04-23
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 899-904
- ISSN
- 0300-0664 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2265
- OpenAlex
- W1513560657
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 1.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- thyroid function, puberty, free T3, free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, T4 to T3 conversion, pubertal stage, children, reference values, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, goiter, thyroid ultrasound
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Goiter, Humans, Male, Puberty, Thyroid Function Tests, Thyroid Gland, Thyrotropin, Thyroxine, Ultrasonography, Young Adult
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