There are evidences that artistic gymnastic (AG) athletes have late maturation compared to the average population. The interplay of some factors may explain it, such as: hereditary factors, exercise stress, low fat mass percentage, bad nutrition and the leptin hormone action. The aim of this literature review is to discuss the results of studies regarding the leptin hormone action and the deregulation in the reproductive system during the puberty of AG female athletes. It is possible to affirm that there is a relation between natural selection in the modality, low caloric diet and the training stress in the AG, resulting in the decrease of the level of the plasmatic leptin, which de-regulates the reproductive system during the puberty.
Artistic gymnastics; maturation, reproductive system, puberty; leptin
