Can You Actually Increase Your Height?

If you've ever looked in the mirror and wished you were a little taller, you're not alone (and wished you were a baller). However, your height is an aspect of your body over which you have little control.

You cannot increase your height once you have finished growing, regardless of any remedies or miracle tips you may have seen online (*ahem* bro science).

There are a few factors that may help you maximize growth before your height reaches its limit. However, once you reach puberty, you can only influence how tall you appear, not how tall you are (no promises on the baller part).

Why do you stop growing when you're in your twenties?

Scientists believe that your genes determine about 80% of your height (thanks, Mom and Dad! ), but they don't fully understand the exact relationship between genetics and height.

Height is determined by more than 700 gene variants (rather than just one gene), making it extremely difficult to predict someone's height. A 2017 study of over 700,000 people's DNA samples discovered that there are also less common genes that account for more than 1 centimeter of a person's height.

Genetics can also play a role in health conditions that affect your height, such as Gigantism or Marfan syndrome.

Most people stop growing by the age of 18, but this can vary depending on when you begin puberty and whether you are male or female.

Girls reach their full height around the age of 14 or a few years after menstruation begins. Boys typically stop growing around the age of 16, but they may gain a few inches after that.

Because of the growth plates at the ends of your bones, your bones grow longer during puberty. As you get closer to the end of puberty, your long bones finish growing, and the cartilage in your growth plates turns to bone or ossifies. Once that happens, your height is set in stone.

What you can do to improve your height before it's too late

Nutrition

When it comes to growth, a well-balanced diet is essential. Calcium and vitamin D are essential nutrients, as research shows that both can significantly improve bone health.

Eating fruits and vegetables to meet your vitamin and mineral requirements is important for everyone, but especially for children.

Protein is also essential for bone health, according to research, and it can help with spine bone density. A 2016 study of 45 sets of twins discovered that nutrition is especially important in infancy and that a lack of protein may be the most significant environmental factor influencing height.

Sleep research has revealed that many of the functions affecting growth occur during sleep, implying that adequate sleep is required for proper growth.

According to a 2013 study, children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) had lower growth hormone levels, height, and weight than children who did not have OSA. Because OSA can result in restless or interrupted sleep, these findings imply that poor sleep quality has a negative impact on growth.

Maintain your level of activity.

Although exercise will not make your bones grow longer, research indicates that it can increase bone mineral density, particularly during adolescence.

A calcium-rich diet combined with moderate physical activity can increase bone mass and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Staying active is also beneficial because it strengthens muscles and bones and may promote the release of human growth hormone (HGH). HGH, unsurprisingly, plays an important role in physical development. It promotes cell repair and growth in childhood (ya know, the process that keeps us youthful and healthy).

No smoking (in or outside the womb)

It is well known that smoking is bad for one's overall health, but it may also have an impact on one's height.

Marijuana use may also have an effect on height. While more research is needed, a 2015 study discovered that heavy marijuana use can cause boys to enter puberty earlier and may stunt their growth.

What can you do right now about your height?

Once puberty is over, it's game over for your height. Even if you do all the CrossFit and yoga in the world, you won't be able to get any taller from here on out.

However, your height can vary very slightly throughout the day (don't get too excited — we're only talking about a half-inch difference). This is due to light compression of your spine's discs caused by daily activities that affect the cartilage and fluid in your spine. Furthermore, sitting at a desk all day may be detrimental to your posture.

The good news is... You can make yourself appear taller by doing a few things.

Take note of your posture.

Your posture has a significant impact on how tall you appear. If you're always hunched over, you'll appear a few inches shorter than you are. Sitting or standing tall instantly adds a few inches to your frame (it's all a trick of the light, folks). So keep your head held high!

Can't seem to get yourself to stop slouching? If you're serious about improving your posture, you can invest in a posture correcting device.

Yoga should be practiced.

You've probably heard the popular myth that yoga makes you taller. A regular yoga practice, on the other hand, helps build muscular strength, which can support better posture.

Yoga can also teach you how to concentrate on your breathing, which can help you with your posture. In other words, yoga may make you appear taller, but it does not cause you to grow.

Muscle development and strengthening

A quick online search for exercises to make you taller may yield some seemingly promising results, but the truth is that once you've reached your maximum height, there are no exercises that will make you grow.

Gaining muscle mass and strengthening your muscles can help you maintain good posture. Muscle building may also make you feel more confident, which may influence how you carry yourself.

Take advantage of fashion.

Real talk: Although it may seem painfully obvious, heels and platform shoes will give you a boost. Changing your clothes can also give you the appearance of longer legs and a longer torso.

Other fashion tricks to try include:

high-waisted pants and skirts tailored clothing in a single color shorter shorts or skirts

ankle boots rather than tall boots

Accept what your mother has given you.

This may not be what you expected to hear, but at some point, you have to accept your height and rock what you've got.

Your height does not limit your life's accomplishments. Some of history's most significant game-changers were of diminutive stature (heck, Napoleon Bonaparte led the French military at 5 foot 2 inches).

In conclusion

Because genetics play the most important role in your height, there isn't much you can do to change how tall you will be (except thank your parents). Nutrition and exercise, for example, are environmental factors that influence your growth and development.

Once you reach the age of 18, your height is pretty much set. You can maximize healthy growth during puberty by eating a balanced diet, staying active, and getting enough sleep each night.

If you've outgrown your last growth spurt, you can make yourself appear taller by improving your posture and strengthening your muscles.

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