Figure 4

Development of the gender difference in ROS with age. Total ROS rose at early puberty and remained at the elevated level during late puberty/early adulthood, without significant differences between genders. At pre-puberty and at late puberty/early adulthood, superoxide anion did not differ significantly between genders. Superoxide anion peaked at early puberty, more abruptly in males than in females (p = 0.05), and dropped to pre-puberty levels as late puberty/early adulthood approached.