Can I increase my height after the age of 18?
Height
is largely determined by heredity, and most people don't grow taller after the
age of 18.
Many people are not
happy with their height.
But is there any way?
If you've ever asked
this question, you're not alone. Some people claim that good nutrition or
special exercise can increase your height as an adult.
This article discusses
whether you can increase your height after the age of 18.
What
determines your height?
Before discussing
whether you can change your height as an adult, it's important to first
consider what determines your height.
The simple answer is
genetics, but that's not all.
Studying twins is
one-way scientists can determine the extent to which genetics affect height (1).
In general, the height
of the twins is highly correlated. This means that if one twin is tall, the
other may also be tall (2).
Based on studies of
twins, it is estimated that 60-80% of the differences in height between people
are caused by heredity (2, 3, 4).
The other 20-40% are
due to environmental factors such as nutrition (5).
Global height trends
help demonstrate the importance of nutritional and lifestyle factors.
A large study,
including 18.6 million people, looked at height changes over the last century.
The study found that
in many countries, the per capita height in 1996 was higher than in 1896 (6).
Improvements in
nutritional intake in these countries may be responsible for this change.
Summary: Scientists estimate that about 60-80% of
height differences are caused by genetics and 20-40% by environmental factors
such as nutrition. In many countries, the average height has increased over the
last century.
For
most people, height does not increase after the age of 18
Even with a healthy
diet, most people don't increase their height after 18 to 20 years of age.
The following graph
shows the growth rate from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth line
drops to zero between the ages of 18 and 20 (7, 8).
The reason your height
stops increasing is because of your bones, especially your growth plates.
Growth plates or
epiphyseal plates are special areas of cartilage near the ends of long bones.
The increase in height
is mainly due to your long bones getting longer because the growth plates are
still active or "open".
Towards the end of
puberty, hormonal changes cause the growth plate to harden or "shut
down" and the prolongation of the bones stops (9).
Growth plates close
around the age of 16 years for women and between the ages of 14 and 19 years
for men (10).
Although most adults
do not experience true long bone growth, there are usually some slight daily
height changes.
The cause of this
change throughout the day is a slight compression of the intervertebral discs
in the spine (11, 12).
Daily activities
affect cartilage and fluids in the spine and lead to a slight decrease in
height over time (11, 12, 13).
This height loss
during the day can be as high as about half an inch (1.5 cm) (14, 15, 16).
Some studies have
shown that the height of the discs in your spine may continue to increase in
adulthood, but has little effect on overall height (17).
Summary: For most people, height does not
increase after 18 to 20 years due to the closure of the growth plates in the
bones. Compression and decompression of the spinal discs can lead to small
changes in height throughout the day.
No
movement or stretching technique can make you taller
A common height myth
is that certain exercises or stretching techniques can make you grow taller.
Many claims that
activities such as hanging, climbing, using handstand tables and swimming can
increase height.
Unfortunately, there
is no good evidence to support these claims.
Indeed, your height
changes slightly throughout the day due to compression and decompression of the
cartilage disc in your spine (12).
By decompressing your
discs, some of these activities may temporarily increase your height to a small
extent (18).
However, this is not
really a change in height, as any change would quickly reverse (12, 13, 19).
Summary: Exercises and techniques that promise to
increase adult height are not supported by science. They may cause small
temporary changes in height, but these effects will not last.
Exercise,
including weight lifting, may not affect your height
Many people worry that
exercise, especially weight lifting, can damage your height.
Some of these concerns
are directed at children and adolescents whose growth plates have not yet been
closed.
The cartilage of the
growth plate is more fragile and may be more susceptible to damage than the
mature bones formed in adulthood.
However, most studies
show that weight training is safe and beneficial for people of all ages, as
long as proper supervision is in place.
In addition, studies
have shown that weight training before adulthood does not reduce the growth
rate (20).
Most sports medicine
doctors and specialists also agree that children and teens don't need to avoid
weight training.
One study asked 500
sports medicine experts whether weight lifting should be avoided before a
person's growth plate was closed (21).
85% of experts say
there is no need to avoid weightlifting, and only 10% believe it is best to
avoid weight training.
In addition, other
studies have shown that the main problem with weight training injuries is lack
of supervision or improper use of equipment (22, 23).
In adults, growth
plates have closed and become stronger than in childhood. Therefore, the risk
of growth plate damage is not the main problem.
In fact, lifting
weights can cause mild compression of the intervertebral discs in adults.
However, this is reversible and also occurs in normal daily activities (13, 16, 19, 24).
One potential cause of
concern is injuries such as herniated discs.
In this case, the size
and health of the discs in your spine may be affected, and the height may drop
slightly (17).
Summary: With proper supervision and technology,
weightlifting is safe for people of all ages. It doesn't seem to affect height
before or during adulthood. However,
A
healthy lifestyle before the age of 18 can help you reach your height potential
Although you may not
be able to change your height significantly as an adult, there are steps you
can take to maximize your height potential as a teenager.
Overall, you want to
make sure you eat enough and that you are not deficient in any vitamins or minerals.
While many children
eat enough (or even too much), the quality of their diets tends to be poor (25).
Because of this, many
people in modern society are deficient in important nutrients such as vitamin D
and calcium (26).
These nutrients are
important for bone growth and overall health (27, 28).
Calcium in the diet
alters hormone production in a way that benefits bones. Vitamin D may also
improve bone health (29, 30).
A good way to combat
nutrient deficiencies and promote optimal bone growth is to increase your
intake of fruits and vegetables (31, 32).
Consuming enough
protein is also important for bone health, although some people question
whether high protein intake can damage bones.
However, a large
analysis of 36 studies found that higher protein intake was not harmful to your
bones. In fact, higher protein intake is beneficial for bone density in the
spine (33).
One way to increase
your protein intake is to try to consume at least 20 grams of protein per meal.
Good sources of
protein include eggs, poultry, lean meats, and dairy products. Soybeans and
other legumes are also rich in protein.
While proper nutrition
in childhood is essential to reach the highest height, there may be differences
between men and women.
Some studies have
shown that environmental factors such as nutrition may have a greater impact on
women's height than men's.
This may be due in
part to differences in access to food and medical care or the high incidence of
osteoporosis in women (34).
Other lifestyle
choices, such as not smoking, may also benefit your height during development (35).
However, it is
important to remember that while lifestyle factors in childhood can affect
height, a person's final height is still largely determined by heredity.
Summary: Eating enough during childhood and
adolescence and avoiding nutrient deficiencies can help maximize your growth
potential.
Certain
medical conditions may cause an increase in adult height
While most adults
don't grow tall after age 18 to 20, there are exceptions to this rule.
First, the closure of
the growth plate can be found in some individuals (36, 37).
If the growth plate
remains open after age 18 to 20 years, which is uncommon, height may continue
to increase.
Second, some people
suffer from gigantism. This condition can lead to overgrowth, usually due to
excessive production of growth hormone (GH) (38).
However, these people
usually only increase their height until their growth plates close around the
age of 22 (39).
In addition, a form of
hemochromatosis, a condition in which excess iron is absorbed in the
intestines, can also lead to increased height (40).
In general, these
conditions may increase in height until the growth plate closes.
Summary: Some rare medical conditions may lead to
height gain after age 18, but this usually only occurs when the growth plate is
not closed.
What
can you do about your height?
If you're an adult who
isn't happy with your height, there are a few things you can try:
- Practice
good posture: Poor posture can deprive anyone of a few inches of
height.
-
Try high heels or inserts: Choose shoes with
higher heels or place inserts in shoes to increase height by a few inches.
- Increased
muscle makes you look and feel stronger: If you feel small
overall, lifting weights to increase muscle can make you more muscular and
confident.
While these simple
strategies may help, some people will take more extreme measures, such as
medical or surgical measures.
Some of these
procedures involve lengthening the bones of the lower leg (41, 42).
However, due to the
invasive and expensive nature of these procedures, many people do not opt for
such drastic measures. These procedures are even banned in some countries.
Others seek growth
hormone (GH) therapy. Although GH can improve the height of malformed children,
this treatment has little benefit for adults (43, 44 ).
Ultimately, it is
advisable to find a way to accept your height instead of considering more
extreme measures.
Summary: There are some simple tricks you can try
to make yourself look taller or help you better understand your height. Some
resort to more invasive medical procedures.
Accept
your height
While you may not be
able to increase your height as you please, there are a few things you can do
to help yourself accept your current height.
Being aware that
height is not everything helps.
No matter what your
body shape is, you can be happy and successful. In fact, throughout history,
there have been many happy and successful people who have been short.
While some argue that
being short in stature puts you at a psychological disadvantage, scientists
debate whether this is true (45, 46).
Researchers also
advocate for the idea of using coping strategies and focusing on things other
than height (47).
Listing your best
qualities, both physical and non-physical, may help improve your prospects.
In addition, you can
focus on other areas of self-improvement. Losing weight or gaining muscle may
give you the extra confidence you seek.
Summary: If you want to be taller, probably the
best thing you can do is learn to accept your current height. Focusing on your
strengths and good qualities can help you through the process.
Conclusion
Height is largely
determined by heredity, and most people don't grow taller after the age of 18.
However, proper
nutrition in childhood and adolescence can help you maximize your height.
If you're not happy
with your height, you may want to consider some simple strategies to make
yourself look and feel the best.
These may include
maintaining good posture, wearing insoles or high heels, or lifting weights to
gain muscle.
What's more, focusing
on your strengths and other areas of self-improvement can take your attention
away from your height.
At the end of the day,
you can't change a hand in your life, but you can manage to make the most of
it.