Serum Leptin Levels in Normal Children: Relationship to Age, Gender, Body Mass Index, Pituitary-Gonadal Hormones, and Pubertal Stage¹

Abstract

1) leptin appears to increase in both boys and girls before the appearance of other reproductive hormones related to puberty; 2) leptin levels in boys are always lower than in girls, although they increase with age until the age 10 yr; 3) leptin in boys declines about the time testosterone increases. Leptin may well be a permissive factor for the initiation of pubertal events.