Growing Taller

[Traumatized 0]

Hi all, Would anybody here have ideas on how to grow taller? Right now, I'm 14 and around 170cm (5 feet 7 inches). I'm not exactly short, but I'd like to be around 180cm, or 5 feet 11 inches. Given that I haven't been sleeping too well for the past two years (on average 7 hours per night), do I have terribly much hope of reaching that goal? If so, what should I do right now to get there? Ideally, I should also be doing sport and excercising, but apparently doing that too much will stunt your growth. So what would be the best compromise? Thanks in advance, and sorry for asking so many questions. I have this tendency to suddenly start worrying about things.

[the need for speed 0]

I guess growing taller comes naturally, I've never heard of factors affecting your growth I don't think you'll get taller early unless you have a disorder or something hope someone else can clear this up

[shadowx 0]

There is a fail safe way....have your legs snapped at the shin, fit into braces which hold them slightly apart while new bone grows between then stretch the new bone with very strong metal and springs (i have actually heard of this being done in china!)But seriously height is a genetic thing, there are medicines that can stunt your growth but none that can make you grow more. to avoid being stunted eat healthy food and do some sport to keep fit. And remember you dont stop growing untill you're in your 20s so you have at least 6 years to go and i bet you have a growth spurt around 16-18 anyway.Being tall isnt that great either, im 6ft4 and im 18, its handy to see over people, but its difficult to sit comfortably in cars unless i have the seat all the way back or forward, i did some driving lessons and i found it difficult to get into and out of the car because i had to force my knees under the steering wheel, flying is an absolute nightmare, i havent flown for several years but when i did it wasnt nice so i dread to think how it is now, i cant sit on the bus unless i sit at the back or on the edge and sit at an angle, i hit my head on the bus roof upstairs and some train roofs, and at school you become an easy target because you stick out!Not to mention the worst bit.... I'm the first to know its raining Seriously though, you're not short, if anything you sound a little over average so i wouldnt worry! Be happy with who and what you are!On the lighter side of things i have asthma and the medicine for that is said to possibly stunt growth so i have to go the doctors for a check every now and then, there is a short nurse about 4ft something and she insist of measuring me just to check! Im freaking 6ft4! And the scale doesnt even go high enough to measure me! Why bother?! It clearly hasnt stunted me

[Vixen_Poetic 0]

I've heard of two factors that can affect growth: activity and nutrition. Firstly, if your body doesn't have good building blocks for bones, tissue and nerves when the next growth spurt happens, well, it won't. Second, staying active is important to your body; if you don't use muscle you don't build more, or worse lose what you've got, or if your bones don't take some impact, some strain, some use, your body doesn't see a need for strong bones. A cousin of mine, told by a doctor that he was going to be short, said 'not if I have anything to say about it' and did weight training. He gained two inches more than the doctor said he would get.

[pritamkumar90 0]

well first off there are some basic things you need to know:1) During puberty you're growth rate increases a lot. And if you're a guy then you're going through puberty right now so i wouldn't worry about it...2) You're taller than an average 14 yr old so why bother?? I'm 16 and I'm only 5'8"!!!3) If you still want to grow taller, eat healthy food and play a lot of sports especially basketball and anything that involves jumping...4) Work out daily.Do some pull ups and some stretching exercises....If you follow the above letter to letter then you'll definitely grow taller. This also means that the width of your body will decrease, so you need to put on some weight if you're already thin. On the other hand if you're kinda fat right now then forget about it! :DHope this helps....Oh and eat a lot of non-veg food and other stuff that's protein rich....

Edited May 16, 2008 by pritamkumar90 (see edit history)

[vijeth 0]

dude,. I am a genetist. And i would tell you clearly what every you do you will not grow tall beyond a spacified heght which have been kept for u in the genes in the DNA. So it is really a waste of time to worry about it. See height you get from your genes inherited from parents or grand parents.So when you have been bron as just small baby in your genes you willhave information that will grow urs height only to that specific lenght. Nothing can grow more than that, Coz that is because nothing can alter your genes. So you wil have fixed height what ever circus u do.So i advise you better dont worry about that..

[WekMS 0]

You can look for "high" Or "Tall", or any related things to "Humen body growing" at places like :Google, Wikipedia, Or many others.I think that growing comes anturally, it's from the DNA, of mom's and dad's.If you play basket-ball you may get taller, cuz of all the jumps.Anyways, hope I helped

[Vixen_Poetic 0]

dude,. I am a genetist. And i would tell you clearly what every you do you will not grow tall beyond a spacified heght which have been kept for u in the genes in the DNA. So it is really a waste of time to worry about it. See height you get from your genes inherited from parents or grand parents.So when you have been bron as just small baby in your genes you willhave information that will grow urs height only to that specific lenght. Nothing can grow more than that, Coz that is because nothing can alter your genes. So you wil have fixed height what ever circus u do.
So i advise you better dont worry about that..

I've got news for you, vijeth. Yes, there is a lot of encoding in the genes but without proper nutrition they won't express properly. And those limits they set are not as hard and fast a rule as you think.

First example: The japanese are known for being short even today. The average american steps off the plane over there and sees a sea of black hair. But the japanese that have emigrated to america have children, and those children grow up to dwarf their parents. The genes didn't change, the diet did.

Second example: Polynesians are known for being tall and bulky, but their recorded history says they used to be taller. What changed was their diet. As trade with the continental united states and other nations increased their usual diet changed as did their usual height. They even started having diet related problems in greater percentages than those caucasians with similar diets. A few years ago the governor of hawaii tested out a diet that claimed to adress those issues by returning to the original diet of the islands; fruits, taro root, fish, etc. He put the entire governor's mansion staff on it by having it catered morning noon and night, and it worked. The overweight staff were dropping pounds and feeling great doing it. The 'I just need to watch what I eat' diabetics didn't anymore, those on insulin either required less or were off it completely.

Last example: Teeth. A researcher wanted to see how much genes had to say about how teeth formed, I think that was what he was looking for. What he found was that contry folk rased in the country had teeth like their folk (if also raised in the country) but when they moved to the city their children raised there had weak and misaligned teeth in comparison to their parents. But in cases where those children moved back to the country the children they raised there had teeth like their grandparents, strong even and well spaced.

Adequate and even excellent nutrition can have a great deal of impact on how we grow, our genes determine when we grow.

[disneyreporter 0]

Height is all based on your genetics. There isn't any conventional method of growing taller. All you can do is try to preserve your height. Drinking lots of milk and getting calcium from dairy products is a great way of making your bones stronger, ultimately giving them more stability when you reach your old age. So if you do this, you may not be tall now, but you'll be concidered tall when you become an oldtimer. I'm not sure how, but if you ever get an X-ray, doctors can tell about how tall you'll be. I think it has something to do with the space between your bones around your knee and the amout of cartilage. According to the doctor, I won't be getting much taller. I'm 16 and somewhere between 5'9 and 5'10. That's good enough for me.

[dhruv 0]

Height can't be massively changed.It comes in the DNA genetics in chromosomes from parents both mother and taller. I;m not sure if both combined but i know for sure it's mostly to do with genetics.But things that can make you stop getting taller or shrink is carrying heaving objects like wearing a school bag which is hevay all day or shopping.

[Vixen_Poetic 0]

Now that we've all had our say about genetics and nutrition, let's look again at your question. At age 14 you are wondering if you will put on another 4 inches. I think your current growth pattern practicly assures it. It's likely that you will continue growing for the next 4 to 6 years and the growth spurts that should occur every 6 to 9 months should give you 1/2 an inch to 1 1/2 inches each time. So don't worry. Just eat right, especially proteins and dairy products, stay active and you'll be fine.

[nstay 0]

But things that can make you stop getting taller or shrink is carrying heaving objects like wearing a school bag which is hevay all day or shopping.

i disagree with it.
if its the truth, why those people who delivers stuff didnt shrink? if you are saying about old folks,they dont shrink.its hunkback most of the time moreover they dont carry heavy objects too.


P.S just my view about it.
Edited June 10, 2008 by nstay (see edit history)

[comingsoon27 0]

Yeah I don't know if there is too much you can do as height is mostly genetic. Even if you do everything doctors have said will maximize your height and nothing to stunt your growth (like consuming any caffeine), the effects would be minimal.On a different note, does anybody know what percentage of people continue to grow in college? By grow I mean an inch or more. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[buherath 0]

Hey guys. If height is strictly genetics-limited, how come basketball and swimming like activities helps people grow tall. Look at basket ball players. I am not any genetic specialist or any one like that. But I think exercises like stretching exercises plays a major role in one's height.Many encourage short teens to do swimming and play basketball. Is this a myth or do these stretching exercises really help a person to grow tall? I for one think that they do help a lot. But some people are who does not do any kind of out door activities are some times tall. They may be genetically gifted or some thing.

[hellosoliloquy 0]

I'm fairly certain that doing physical activities allow for more "space" between the joints and vertebrae in your back and such. So, that could make you a little taller.Aside from that, I really don't think that sports are going to do much for your height. If you're already tall, of course you're going to play basketball. If you're shorter, you can still play basketball, but I really don't think that simply playing basketball and being around tall people is going to make a person taller.Simple nutrition and good sleep allows the body to reach its full potential.