
February 24, 2002
Puberty
Question from the USA:
My 10 year old daughter has all the signs of puberty except the cycle, and she is now experiencing lose of appetite along with increased in sugar levels which in turn means an increase in insulin. Is this normal? What should we expect?
Answer:
Changes in circulating hormone levels and proportions at puberty do indeed lead to a degree of insulin resistance. This in turn means that the dose may need to be carefully increased if blood sugar levels rise. At the same time, it must be done cautiously as increased insulin may lead to increased appetite and undesirable weight gain. The onset of puberty does not explain the loss of appetite and the reason for this may need to be explored as a separate issue. It may in fact be related to anxiety over weight gain.
DOB