How to grow taller is the question that is asked by people who are not that taller as they want. To grow taller, proper diet, exercise, vitamins, calcium, and protein must be part of routine life. Genetics also matters in determining the height of a person.
Proteins present in meat, fish, cereals, calcium present in dairy products, and vitamins present in other dietary products must be a part of the diet. However, one may be knowing that genes that are inherited from parents are the main determinants of the height of children.
What affects the height of a person?
Normally, the instructions about the height of a person are present in the genes of a child that he or she gets from parents. If one or both of the parents are taller, they will give birth to a child who can be taller if the genes obtained from the taller parent become dominant.
The gender of a person also determines the height as males are usually taller than females. The growing age of a male is until puberty and for females, height can grow up to the time when the menstrual cycle starts.
Major determinants of height
How taller can a person be is the point that is determined by several factors. Some of them have been mentioned here:
- Gender of a person
- Genetics inherited from parents
- The daily diet of a person
- Daily life routine of a person
- Sleep pattern and sleep time of a person
- Certain medical conditions
1. Gender of a person
The first determinant of the height of a person is gender. This is a common belief that if men have a bigger height than females. This gender stereotype is supported by the daily observation that gives us a piece of strong evidence that men are taller than women.
According to the research, when gender stereotype was tested in the people of different age groups, and different grades were very interesting pieces of evidence.
There was an extremely interesting piece of evidence that girls are taller than boys until the age of 13 or 14 years. It means that gender stereotype is variable and it changes at different stages of life.
The reason behind this fact is that at the age of 13-15, girls are going through puberty and that is the time when a person has the fastest growth rate. Boys reach their puberty at a later age that is 16-17 years and hence they are at hast growth rate at a later stage than the girls.
Another aspect that may be considered when considering the different growth rates for boys and girls is gender discrimination. Although not considered so often, yet the fact can’t be neglected that in Asian countries, boys are given more importance than girls.
Among male and female children, male child is having more opportunities to play, do exercise, play outdoor games, and have a better diet as compared to their female siblings. As diet and exercise have an important role in defining the pattern of the height of a person, thus it can be a factor in this regard.
2. Genetics – determinant of height
Another fact that can’t be denied is that the role of genes has great importance in the determination of height. However, it’s not yet clear that what kind of genes are taking part.
There are about 700 genes that are known to be involved in height determination. Now which gene pair is imparting the real effects is an unclear dilemma.
Genetics play role in a way that if you are having taller parents, you will inherit the genes that will give you bigger height than the children of short parents.
Sometimes, if any one of both parents has a short height while the other is taller, some of their children will be taller with others being short in height.
This happens because of the dominant and recessive genes. The characteristic that a child will develop is defined by gene pairs and if the gene received from one parent is dominant while the gene received from the other is recessive, the property attributed to the dominant gene will be expressed in the child.
Thus, if both of the parents are taller, there are more chances for children to be taller and vice versa. In the case of parents with short height, children are often short. If parents have a mixed height, they give birth to the children who have a mixed pattern of height, i.e., taller and shorter.
3. Diet of a person
Diet plays a major role in height determination. How to grow taller has the best answer that adaptation of a better diet plan plays important role in the health and height of a person.
Malnutrition results in stunted growth and this shows that how much important the diet is in the determination of height. If you are concerned about how to grow taller, then one factor that you must be given the prime importance is the diet.
Taking proteins, starch, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, calcium, zinc, carbs, and several other components that are important for health when not taken properly, results in short height.
Not taking the dairy products or food rich in proteins, calcium, and mainly carbs is the reason if you are short heightened as compared to the ideal height that you must have had.
4. The routine of a person
How a person is spending the life or what is the daily routine of a person can also affect the height and growth of that person. An active lifestyle with regular exercise and outdoor games is the important determinant of height.
If you are having a dull routine with no activity, it will have a direct effect on the growth rate. Low or no activity can directly impact the growth of a person.
5. Sleep pattern – a determinant of height
People who sleep less have a lesser growth rate according to studies. All the metabolic activities that are involved in the process of growth are taking place during sleep.
Thus, a regular sleep pattern if not followed can result in short height especially if you are not sleeping properly in the growing stage of life. Required sleep hours for different age groups are given below:
| Age of a person | Required sleep hours |
|---|---|
| Newborn up to 3 months | 15 to 17 hours |
| 3 to 11 months | 12 to 17 hours |
| 1 to 2 years | 11 to 14 hours |
| 3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 years |
| 6 to 13 years | 9 to 11 hours |
| 14 to 17 years | 8 to 10 hours |
| 18 t 65 years | 7 to 9 hours |
| More than 65 years | 7 to 8 hours |
6. Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions result in dwarfism or gigantism. Stunted growth is the characteristic of some diseases and can also be the side effect of some medications. These medical conditions are described briefly in this section:
1. Gigantism:
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Pituitary glands are the smaller glands present in the brain that is controlling the growth rate of a person. When pituitary glands start secreting excessive somatotropin hormone, it results in a medical condition known as gigantism.
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People with gigantism are extra taller and sometimes it affects their girth also. To control it at an early age, it’s important to make an early diagnosis.
2. Dwarfism:
It’s also a medical condition that may result due to some genetic problems. If an adult has a height of 147 cm he can be considered a dwarf. Growth hormone deficiency can be the leading cause of dwarfism.
3. Arthritis
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Growth retardation can result from juvenile arthritis. It’s the condition in which chronic inflammation occurs in various body tissues that affect ligaments, muscles, joints, and other body organs.
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Due to the chronic nature of this disorder, when inflammation occurs for longer times it results in the stiffening, and deformation of joints resulting in retarded growth of a person.
4. Hypothyroidism
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Hypothyroidism means the lesser than the required levels of thyroid hormone in the body. When such a condition occurs, it affects the growth of a person causing retardation of height.
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However, this condition can be treated, and when thyroid hormone achieves the required level in the body, the growth of the affected individual returns to normal.
5. Turner syndrome
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This a kind of medical disorder in which one of the sex hormones is partially or completely lost. This results in the failure of growth, cardiac problems, and mainly gonadal insufficiency.
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If Turner syndrome – mainly present in women - is treated at an early age by giving the growth hormone, it can have major benefits in maintaining the growth pattern.
6. Down syndrome
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Down syndrome is a condition that is associated with chromosomes. When an individual has an extra copy of chromosome number 21 in the cells of the body, it results in an abnormality of characteristics.
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Down syndrome not only reflects itself in the form of cognitive problems but also the retarded growth is associated with it falling the individuals behind their peers.
7. Marfan syndrome
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This is yet another disease that is caused by the problem in a gene that is called fibrillin-1. As fibrillin-1 is characterized to play a prime role in the body as the building blocks of connective tissues, this genetic problem can result in extra-long legs.
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Individuals who are affected by Marfan syndrome are having longer heights and longer arms and legs that are different from than normal growth of a person.
8. Celiac disease
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Celiac disease is a disorder of the intestine. For those kids who are suffering from celiac disease, when taking food with gluten, damages villi.
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Villi are the smaller intestinal projections that are responsible for the absorption of food in the small intestine. Thus, when villi are damaged, the body is unable to absorb the nutrients that are required for the normal growth of a person.
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This kind of condition can resemble malnutrition in which the body is not getting the required nutrients for a normal growth pattern. So, celiac disease if not treated can result in retarded growth of an individual.
9. Conditions requiring continuous steroidal treatment
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Inflammation is one of the conditions that require steroidal treatment. Inflammation of joints or arthritis can be regarded as a major disorder that demands steroidal therapy.
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At an early age, if a person is taking steroids, it can result in retarded growth because of irregularity in the maturity of bones. Inhaled steroids in younger children are observed to cause visible growth retardation.
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How to get taller as a teenager?
How to grow taller as a teen is a question that is asked by people who are not that taller as they want. To grow taller, either as a teenager or as a child, proper diet, exercise, vitamins, calcium, and protein must be part of routine life. Genetics are major determinants of the height of a person.
Proteins are present in meat, fish, cereals, calcium is present in dairy products, and vitamins are present in other dietary products and all of them must be a part of the diet. However, you must be knowing clearly that genes that are inherited from parents are the main determinants of the height of children and no one can grow taller than that.
If someone thinks that there is some magical answer to the query of how to get taller, then he is wrong. There is no formula to grow taller as a teenager or at an even smaller age that works in weeks or months.
It’s a continuous process that must be carried on for better growth and height. To grow taller as a teenager, proper diet, exercise, vitamins, calcium, and protein must be part of routine life. The genetics of a person also matters in determining the height of a person.
Proteins, that are present in meat, fish, cereals, calcium present in dairy products, and vitamins present in other dietary products must be a part of the diet. However, one must be knowing that genes that are inherited from parents are the main determinants of the height of children.
There are the following points that must be considered and followed by a person who is concerned about his height and feels that he has a low growth rate as compared to his peers.
- Proper diet
- Regular exercise
- Avoidance of steroids
- Proper and regular sleep
- Absence or treatment of several medical conditions
1. Proper diet – for growing taller
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Although it’s genetics that plays a major role in the determination of the height of a person, yet several other factors can have a direct effect on the growth and height of a person.
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What kind of diet is required for a better growth pattern and to grow taller?
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Although you can be as taller as your body is being instructed by genes, yet if you are taking a proper diet, it can stimulate growth and height. The following kind of diet can be beneficial in this regard:
1. Protein-rich food
Proteins are the major component of body muscles. The more you are taking the protein-rich food, the better will be your muscular mass. Here are some foods enlisted that are rich in protein:
Eggs: Never forget to take an egg daily in the breakfast if you care about getting taller. The egg is the best source of protein and it helps to increase the muscle mass that is required for better health and structure of the body.
Milk: Milk protein is also a great source to stimulate growth especially when you are a teenager.
Yogurt: Yogurt is another dairy source of protein and taking 180 ml of yogurt daily as a part of breakfast will serve in the best way to make up the required need for protein in the body.
Cheese: Cheese is also a dairy product and offers a great content of protein. Using cheese as a part of daily diet helps to get healthier and to grow taller but just making cheese isn’t enough.
Meat: Meat of lamb, beef, and kangaroo, etc. is the richest source of protein. Always prefer to make meat a part of your daily diet.
Kinds of seafood: When there is a discussion about protein-rich foods, how can someone forget fish and other kinds of seafood as a great protein source. Others include crabs, prawns, and oysters, etc. that are rich in protein.
2. Calcium intake
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Calcium is the major component that is responsible for bone growth and strength. When someone is not taking a diet that is rich in calcium, it may result in stunted growth.
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When bones don’t grow, they don’t get the actual length that they are capable of in presence of required nutrition.
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Thus, for proper growth and mineral density of bones, you must be taking foods that are rich in calcium. Dairy products are the preferred diet for the intake of daily calcium dose.
3. Carbs intake
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Carbs play a major role in the building of muscles because of their protein-sparing activity. Protein sparing means when you intake carbs, your body uses the energy by breaking down the glycogen and not the muscle protein.
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When a carbs-rich diet is taken after the exercise, it helps to stop the consumption of muscle proteins thus helps to build the muscles that aid in growth and help to grow taller.
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Carbs-rich diet includes oats, bananas, beetroots, oranges, and blueberries, etc. thus, these foods must be a part of the daily routine of a person if he is concerned about how to grow taller.
4. Role of zinc intake in growth
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Zinc is the element that is important in maintaining growth and helps to grow taller in various ways. Zinc has a direct regulatory effect on the synthesis of DNA and influences the regulation of hormones during cell division.
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The pituitary hormone that is a major hormone affecting and stimulating growth and helps to grow taller, is influenced by the zinc present in the body.
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There are several foods that are rich in zinc and one or two of them must be included in the daily diet for healthy growth and to grow taller.
Zinc-rich foods include:
- Red Meat
- Poultry
- Shellfish
- Dairy products – Milk, yogurt
- Eggs
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts
Role of exercise in growing taller
Exercise is a second important factor that helps in growing healthier and taller. If you are lazy enough not doing exercise on daily basis then you must stop wondering about how to grow taller.
Exercise stimulated growth in many ways that enhance the metabolism and help to absorb the nutrients that are present in the diet. A protein-rich diet is taken after exercise and it helps to build muscle mass.
It has been observed that one factor that has an impact in determining the lesser height in females than males is the lack of exercise in the routine life of females.
Not only it affects a person physically but also has mental but clear evidence regarding these effects that are not present to date. But it’s obvious by researches that the kids who have a healthy lifestyle in teenage, have more chances to have better health in later age.
Physical effects of exercise:
No matter if you are a child or an adult, a sedentary lifestyle has major effects on a person’s health. Some major health benefits of exercise are given as:
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It strengthens the heart as the heart is a muscular ■■■■■ and exercise has a direct impact on the strength of muscles. Pumping of the heart gets better and helps to get rid of heart problems.
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Exercise has a second major impact on the activity of the lungs. Not only the heart but it also helps the lungs to do better. Lung efficiency gets better when oxygen intake is increased while doing the exercise.
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The third important effect that exercise has on human health is strengthening the bones. Regular and bone-oriented exercises help to grow the bones, make the bone density greater, and also help to prevent osteoporosis.
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Help to lose weight: exercise is helpful in the way that it helps someone to maintain the weight. Extra calories that someone is taking and not utilizing due to a sedentary lifestyle are converted to fats.
3. Regular sleep
Sleep affects the height of the person in the sense that a lot of metabolic processes are taking place while sleeping. Thus, if a person is not having proper sleep, it may affect his growth.
6-8 hours sleep with a peaceful mind is the important determinant of good health and taller height than the ones who are not sleeping properly or spending a stressful life.
4. Say no to steroids
Steroidal therapy has a major side effect of having bad impacts on the growth of a person especially if the person who is taking steroids is younger.
Thus, conditions that require steroidal therapy such as arthritis must be treated for some other treatment options for not having a bad impact on growth and height.
5. Medical conditions
Certain medical conditions cause stunted growth and the height of a person is directly affected by them. Some may cause excessive growth such as gigantism, while others result in a short stature than normal that is dwarfism.
All the medical conditions that exhibit themselves in a person must be treated at the initial stage. Some of them have direct involvement of thyroid and pituitary glands that are major glands taking part in the growing determination of a person.
Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism or excessive stimulation of the pituitary gland for the production of growth hormone are some major irregulating mechanisms that can be controlled and treated for normal growth and height of an individual.
Frequently asked questions
Several questions are having unresolved queries about how to grow taller and certain other health aspects. Some of them have been answered in this section:
1. Are there ways to get taller?
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Although height is determined by the genetic makeup that an individual receives from his parents yet some factors impact the growth and height of a person.
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If you are taking proteins, carbs, starch, carbohydrates, zinc, and calcium in your regular diet and doing proper exercise, playing outdoor games, it impacts your height and growth while helping you to grow taller. But one thing must be clear that no one can exceed the height that is determined by the genes.
2. At what age does a girl stops growing in height?
Girls often stop growing when they reach puberty. Average girls reach puberty at an age of 13 to 14 years. Thus, at that age, they are having the fastest growth rates, and hence most of the girls are taller at this age as compared to their male siblings or peers.
3. What stops growth in height?
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Puberty and some medical conditions stop growth in height. When an individual reaches puberty, the growth plates stop making the new bones, and hence the growth in height is stopped.
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Although genes are a major determinant of height yet when a person reaches the age of 17-18, growth in height is stopped.
4. Does eating less make you shorter?
No! not really. Eating less only makes you shorter if you are avoiding food to the extent that can lead to malnutrition. When the body doesn’t get enough nutrients that are required for healthy growth, it stops making the muscles and bones as compared to the condition if the body is receiving a proper diet.
5. Does jumping make you taller?
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Jumping alone is not enough for you to grow taller. A lot of factors are involved in the determination of height and exercise is one of them.
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Proper diet, the genetic makeup of a person, amount of sleep, exercise habits are all the factors that control the growth and height of a person.
Conclusion
How to grow taller is an important question that is asked by people who are not that taller as they want. To grow the height taller, proper diet, regular exercise, vitamins, calcium, zinc, carbs, and protein intake must be part of routine life.
Genetics are the major determinants of the height of a person as the children of taller parents tend to grow taller as compared to those who have shorter parents. About 700 gene variants are involved in the determination of the height of a person.
Proteins that are present in red meat, fish, cereals, calcium present in dairy products, and vitamins present in other dietary products must be a part of the diet. However, one should be knowing clearly that genes that are inherited from parents are the main determinants of the height of children.
Several medical conditions are also involved in affecting the height and growth of a person such as dwarfism makes an individual shorter than his peers while gigantism is the condition in which someone has extra-long bones.
Down syndrome, arthritis, Turner syndrome, and hypothyroidism are some major medical conditions that may affect badly the height of an individual if not being treated at an initial stage.
Regular exercise helps to absorb the nutrients in the body, make the heart healthier and improve the pumping. Other positive effects of exercise on health involve the better performance of lungs and utilizing the extra calories. Extra calories that are taken during a sedentary lifestyle are stored in form of fat and increase the weight of a person.
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