Adrenarche or "the awakening of the adrenal gland" is an early stage in sexual maturation that typically begins around the age of 10 or 11, which entails the development of body odor, skin oiliness, acne and pubic hair. Being overweight increases a child's risk for premature adrenarche. Premature adrenarche occurs when the adrenal gland begins secreting sex hormones called androgens earlier than normal, which would lead to a child developing pubic hair for example at the age of 8 in girls and 9 in boys. It is however worth noting that the adrenal hormones responsible for the development of pubic hair and body odor are different from those that affect the maturation of sex organs. Testosterone produced in the testes is responsible for the growth of the penis while estrogens produced in the ovaries are responsible for the enlargement of breasts. More often than not, girls with premature adrenarche tend to have periods a little earlier than the average, but usually
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