cause for concern?

[thelastoneever2000]

my younger brother is 16, almost 17, and he has yet to develop hair on his face, armpits, or chest. I am thinking that he has yet to go through puberty, which is strange because every other guy in his grade looks like their age, while he could be mistaken for like a 13/14 year old.

do you think hes just late or is there something that should be looked into

 

[Pecker]

He's just taking his time showing the secondary characteristics of puberty.

I went through the same thing, being a late bloomer.

Now in my late 50's, I see my remaining high school/college classmates and can almost tell you which started aging earlier than others in their teens.

Those of us who developed later look nowhere near our age, while those who developed early are showing their age.

Count your brother as lucky and be patient. It's in his genes.

 

[13788]

tsctsc: A lot of guys never have chest hair and many have light facial hair.(naturally smooth) His pits and pubes should be coming in by 17 yrs. old though. Are the other men in your family really hairy & that's why you think it's odd that he's not? Think about what you looked like at 16/17--were you alot different than him?

 

[benderten2001]

[quote author=Pecker link=board=health;num=1080399746;start=0#1 date=03/27/04 at 07:04:59]

"...Those of us who developed later look nowhere near our age, while those who developed early are showing their age..."

[/quote]



Now........seriously, Pecker is correct on this one...TOO !

I can laugh at the quote above but it rings true in my life as well. I was a late bloomer and looking around at (what few) classmates from 35 years ago I now see or keep up with...I can remember who "were ahead of me" in their various (physical appearance) ways back then! Boy, DO THEY look "further along" now!

We all mature at different rates and mature differently in "how" we look, fill-in, and develop. So, why even mention to your younger brother (lastoneever2000) your concerns or stir up perhaps even more questions for him than he probably already has--being around other guys his age whom he is bound to be noticing. Let it go for now. --Nature obviously still needs to have time to work things out.

Pubic hair "expected by now" as the other poster mentioned might be true in some cases, and maybe not. I recall NOT having that much impressive "wool" for quite awhile. In fact, since this is confession time I suppose (!), much of my maturation took place in my late teens and early twenties! Anyway, men in my family were not all that hairy to begin with, so there. Being over six-foot all through high school and not having "FULLY developed" (as one would have suspected or so I thought!) ....uhhh, --no wonder I had the self-consciousness issues going on from way back then!

 

[13788]

Tender: some men grow into their early twenties.
the only thing is at 17 i would think he would be showing at least some signs...

at any rate, it IS possible he could have a hormone imbalance or something,,, it does happen...
just a blood test to check that....

next time he goes to the doc maybe he should bring it up... wont hurt... may save him some grief,,, and for sure if you are concerned about it--you KNOW it bothers him... i would think it would have to... that is such a hard age too to deal with.....

Tender

 

[vkngsxgd8]

I would first ask, if you are close enough brothers, to see or compare crotches ... if he has hair down below, the other will come in good time ... if not I might just make a doctors appt to check why, and if there is anything wrong, etc ? i remember distinctly as a teen, having underarm hair before getting pubes, and a friend of mine having pubes at 11, i mean a real bush already, and no underarm hairs before 15-16, so it varies for all, he is probably just late-blooming as it were

 

[13788]

grantstephens: I read an article about how Doctors are noticing that in America that many teenage boys are hitting puberty later than usual. They're still researching, but it is believed to be becasue of the piss poor diet we have here in America and all the soy protein crap that is being pushed on them.

Here's basically what was said in the article. Soy increases estrogen levels which interfere with Testosterone levels. If testosterone stays low - puberty comes later. Chips, soda, Dr. Phils crappy bars, burgers, and candy don't promote normal testosterone levels.

By all means (to all men here), don't get caught up in this soy diet fad in America. Soy protein in high doses increases Estrogen.

 

[benderten2001]

grant......great info you've shared. We're still only learning about the diet connection to everyone's health, let alone to men's.

One vital element (vital to men's genital health AND development) is......zinc. I read sometime ago now (doing personal research on men's health supplements) that zinc is literally processed "out" of the American food supply in many ways. Zinc is crucial to stimulating the natural production of testosterone and the other body chemicals related to tissue repair (i.e. "growth")

It can be a delicate balance, though--this "zinc".
While too little is bad, too much is worse....
In excess, zinc leads to anemia....(surprisingly!)

 

[13788]

Tender: i have read too about the zinc, the soy and testosterone link.
my husband has low T and is on Andro

i have read quite alot about the hormones in milk being linked to low T in men as well.
my husband drinks alot of it.

i think looking back, he had low T for at least half of our marriage, maybe longer.... just didnt realize it.

most think it only effects the 'sexual' side...
but it also can cause moodiness, depression, muscle mass loss, weight gain or loss, early hair loss, fatigue, ect ect. some studies have shown a link between heart disease and low T in older men........

so bottom line is...........
low T is probably more common than we think.
it is treatable.
and a man doesnt have to be old to suffer from low T.
and the symptoms can varry from one man to another.

Tender

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

You know, it's always a weird thing thing about puberty hair; we think it'll make us happy when we move into manhood since that's one of the signs of masculinity. But later on, we find it more trouble than it's worth.
You know like with shaving. For about 90% of us, the only shaving we do is facial, and the other 10% are lower torso for reasons such as showing off muscularity better, or better athletic performance, or it could be we just don't want to look like we're reverting back to primates.

 

[benderten2001]

Tender!

Your comments about "low T" ....were right on the money!

Thanks for sharing.

I brought up this same kind of info in another subject area sometime ago about the "other" effects of testoterone (beyond sexual aspects).
What you and I have noted for readers here is all true. Modern medicine is STILL learning about testosterone and its impact on BOTH of the sexes!

The "mood" and energy / metabolism connections for men are what surprised me initially a few years ago as I had a personal experience with "low T". I now take supps. which encourage the natural production of testosterone. I was tested at normal or low-normal and now---the "boost" that the supps have created for me...have produced wonderful results. I would certainly not want to go back to where I once was! Better libido....yes. Better emotional "outlook" from day to day....certainly better. The energy level day is wonderfully, amazingly improved too...almost unbelieveable, (at least it was for me).

Again, Tender---thanks for speaking up.

 

[jonb]

Or they're flaming metrosexuals, Chuck. LOL