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Are you unsatisfied with your height? Are you wondering how to grow 2-6 inches fast? Growing after 18 may sound impossible, but with some persistence, some people can naturally grow taller in adulthood or increase their height with other means.
No matter the age, there are ways to become taller, so keep reading to find out how…
How Is It Possible to Increase Height After 18?
If an individual goes through puberty later than most and the growth plates aren’t fused yet it’s possible to grow taller after 18 up to their early twenties
When considering most people’s growth plates “expiration”, most people won’t naturally grow taller after eighteen, but there are other means to permanently boost height. This halt in growth results from growth plates fusing, which happens in all humans at some point. The fusion of growth plates occurs around age 13-15 for girls and 15-17 for boys.[1]
Once the growth plates have closed, it’s impossible to become any taller through natural means, no matter what age. However, there are surgical or temporary fixes to become taller, which we’ll get to below.
What are Growth Plates?
Growth plates are soft tissue or smooth cartilage present at each end of the long bones in children. These bones include the femur or thigh bone, the tibia or calf bone, the radius, and ulna or forearm bones, and some in the hands and feet.[2] This cartilage allows for the elongation of bones in both height and width.
During puberty, the release of estrogen and testosterone commands the growth plates to harden and close, which prevents the bones from growing any further.
What Dictates and Facilitates Height in Kids?
Height is 80% dependent on genetics and is the main factor for height differences across ethnicities and countries. The other 20% depends on outside environmental factors such as sleep, exercise, and nutrition, especially during the first two years of a child’s life.[3] Therefore, overall health and nutrition play an essential role throughout childhood and puberty.
Height can be an indicator of socio-economic status as well since people in better economic circumstances have easier access to proper nutrition, so they’re more likely to reach their full potential height.[4]
Nutrition Needs For Kids?
Consuming an adequate amount of macro and micronutrients is vital to grow and achieve one’s full genetic potential. Some nutritional aspects that can affect bone growth are calcium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, protein, and nutrients like Vitamin D. It’s always best to discuss dietary needs with a nutritionist to ensure the right approach.
If a child is otherwise healthy and gets enough nutrition and 6-8 hours of sleep, they increase the likelihood of reaching their full genetic height.
Ways To Grow 2-6 Inches Taller
Post-puberty, a doctor can examine an x-ray of a person’s left hand and wrist to determine their “bone age” and check whether growth plates are still open.[5] If they are, it may be worth trying out natural ways to increase HGH or talk to a doctor about HGH injections.
If an adult’s growth plates are already fused, they can still emphasize their height by improving posture through stretches and exercises. Or, they may still increase their height through height-increasing surgery as well.
Can Stretching and Exercising Make You Taller?
Regular stretches and exercise can straighten out your back, bring your shoulders up, and fix your posture, but it can’t make you grow taller. That being said, correcting a slouching neck and drooping shoulders can make you look taller even if it doesn’t change your height.
On top of that, strengthening the muscles through lifting weights makes you look leaner, giving an appearance of height. Moreover, exercise releases endorphins and improves people’s state of mind, which can help alleviate insecurity related to size.
Some exercises to stand straighter and look taller include:
- Child’s Pose – This stretch lengthens the spine, the glutes, and the hamstrings, elongating the entire body. It also releases tension in the lower back and neck. Doing this stretch can help alleviate a drooping neck.
- Chest Opener – This exercise opens up the chest and loosens the pectoral muscles. If the chest muscles do not pull the shoulders forward, one can stand straighter without pushing the shoulders back.
- Plank – Planks strengthen the core and back muscles, allowing a person to cultivate balance and stand straight without tiring out their muscles. Strong core muscles lend strength to every muscle group connected to them, including the glutes and the hamstrings.
- Bridges – Bridges help alleviate anterior pelvic tilt, another posture problem that can make people look shorter by tilting the torso back while pulling the hips forward. They strengthen the glutes, thighs or quadriceps, and core muscles.
How to Get Taller by Boosting Human Growth Hormone
As long as the growth plates are open, people over 18 can talk to a doctor about HGH injections or try to increase it naturally. These hormones can add inches of height depending on the maturity of the bones. However, HGH therapy can be pretty expensive, ranging from $10,000 to $40,000 per year.[6]
HGH therapy is also a long-term commitment that can take several years to show effects, which may not be worth the results for many people. And if an individual is already 18 with their plates still open, they have a limited amount of time to gain extra height.
How Can I Boost HGH Naturally?
If one doesn’t want to spend a fortune on HGH, one can also try natural methods to boost HGH. These include:
Losing Fat
Regardless of age or gender, excess belly fat inhibits the release of HGH, so losing belly fat in a healthy manner is an effective way to boost this hormone. Increased insulin has the same effect – those with diabetes have 3-4 times reduced HGH production than healthy people.[7]
Reducing sugar intake and fasting intermittently to lose belly fat can boost HGH naturally. Intermittent fasting keeps insulin levels low for most of the day since it only allows for a limited eating window, leading to increased HGH production.
Exercising
High-intensity exercise not only helps with losing fat but also increases the release of HGH. Exercise, in general, is beneficial for this, but any form of high-intensity workout, whether it’s sprinting, weight-training, or HIIT (high-intensity interval training), boosts HGH the most.
Over the long term, exercise optimizes hormone production in general, which affects HGH as well.
Sleeping
Children sleep a lot, and HGH is released mainly when a person sleeps, and it emits in pulses, the most significant happening before midnight and a few smaller ones occurring in the early morning.[7] Therefore, poor sleep quality may lead to lower HGH production.
Reading a book before bed, avoiding looking at your phone, and forgoing coffee late in the day can help one get adequate sleep.
Permanently Increase Height 2-6 Inches Taller After 18
If the growth plates are closed, the only way to get taller is cosmetic leg (limb) lengthening. If using heel inserts or wearing heeled shoes doesn’t sound appealing or causes pain, this surgery might be something to consider.
When someone is bothered by their height constantly to the point where it causes them psychological distress, they may be suffering from height dysphoria. Height surgery may benefit such patients as long as they don’t have a severe case of BDD (body dysmorphic disorder). The recovery period can be up to a year or more and has a high success rate overall. While it’s not a cure all and surely has risks, it’s a proven way for adults to grow two-six inches taller after 18.
Don’t fall for magical supplements or hacks that sound too good to be true. Consider all the options available and discuss the matter with a healthcare professional before coming to any decision.
References
[1] DukeHealth. (2021, July 6). Growth Plates: What You Need to Know. DukeHealth. https://www.dukehealth.org/blog/growth-plates-what-you-need-know
[2] KidsHealth. (2019, January 23). Growth Plates. KidsHealth. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/growth-plates.html
[3] MedlinePlus. (2020, September 17). Is height determined by genetics? MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/traits/height/
[4] Perkins, J. M., Subramaniam, S. V., Smith, G. D., & Özaltin, E. (2016). Adult height, nutrition, and population health. Nutrition Reviews, 74(3), 149-165. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4892290/
[5] Lerner Children’s Pavilion. (2017, June 28). Is it Possible to Predict Height? HSS. https://www.hss.edu/pediatrics-is-it-possible-to-predict-height.asp
[6] Iannelli, V. (2021, July 1). Using Growth Hormone to Treat Short Stature in Children. VeryWellFamily. https://www.verywellfamily.com/growth-hormone-to-make-kids-taller-2634507
[7] 11 Ways to Boost Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Naturally. (2017, May 15). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-ways-to-increase-hgh
FAQs
How can I grow 2 inches taller after 18? ›
Summary: For most people, height will not increase after age 18 to 20 due to the closure of the growth plates in bones. Compression and decompression of the discs in your spine lead to small changes in height throughout the day.
How can I increase my height after 18 scientifically? ›Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
How can I make myself 2 inches taller? ›- Eat a balanced diet. ...
- Use supplements with caution. ...
- Get the right amount of sleep. ...
- Stay active. ...
- Practice good posture. ...
- Use yoga to maximize your height.
Increasing your height after 18 is not possible, even through nutrition and exercise, because the growth plates stop growing. The growth plates (epiphyseal plates) are present at the end of long bones.
Can you grow 3 inches in a year at 18? ›Well, in fact, you can grow 2 to 6 inches even after the age of 18 or after puberty. Many people think that growing taller after puberty is impossible; however, it can be done with some determination and using the right approaches. We are aware of naturally growing taller is not possible once your puberty ends.
What is the fastest way to increase height after 18? ›Exercise and Yoga Regime: Exercise is a vital factor in increasing your height after 18 years of age. Simple exercises like skipping, hanging from an overhead bar, and stretching the body by standing on your toes should be part of your daily workout routine.
How do you activate growth plates? ›Regular exercise, especially weight-bearing and high-intensity activities like running, jumping, and strength training, can stimulate bone remodeling and increase bone density, which can help people grow taller.
Can stretching make you taller? ›“Stretching does not make you taller, but it can help in improving flexibility and posture, which can make someone seem taller,” Hashish said. “For instance, if someone slouches, they may appear shorter than when they stand upright with more extension.”
How to activate pituitary gland to increase height? ›Pituitary gland meditation
This meditation format stimulates the pituitary gland in your brain, signaling it to release the human growth hormone which then affects height growth. Practicing pituitary gland meditation for just 5 minutes daily should make a good difference in height.
Medical procedures for growth stimulation
A surgical procedure called distraction osteogenesis can make people grow taller even during adulthood. This procedure was originally intended to treat dwarfism or uneven legs. During the procedure, health care providers surgically break the bones in the person's legs.
What are some ways to get taller? ›
What can I do to become taller? Taking good care of yourself — eating well, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest — is the best way to stay healthy and help your body reach its natural potential. There's no magic pill for increasing height. In fact, your genes are the major determinant of how tall you'll be.
Can I grow 2 inches in a week? ›It is usually difficult to increase your height in one week, especially in adulthood. However, it is not impossible. You can try certain exercises that promote height growth like stretching, hanging and pelvic shifts.
What age do boys stop growing? ›Changes in Boys
They tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but their muscles will continue to develop.
Once that's closed off or sealed, no amount of sleeping will help us get taller any more. According to Healthline.com, the growth plates close at around 16 for women and somewhere between 14 and 19 for men.
Can I increase 6 inches in year? ›The answer is yes. You may increase your height by a few inches by making some simple changes in your routine.
Can boys grow after 18? ›Growth charts show that majority of guys grow just a little after the ages of 18. In rare cases, some people may hit puberty in their late teens and continue to grow into their early twenties. The reason most guys stop growing at this age is because their growth plates fuse shortly after puberty.
What is the average male height? ›Average height for men in the United States
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , the average age-adjusted height for American men 20 years old and up is 69.1 inches (175.4 centimeters) during the years 2015 to 2016. That's about 5 feet 9 inches tall.
When Do Growth Plates Close? Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they're 13–15; for boys, it's when they're 15–17.
How do you know if my growth plates are open? ›On an x-ray, growth plates look like dark lines at the ends of the bones. At the end of growth, when the cartilage completely hardens into bone, the dark line will no longer be visible on an x-ray. At that point growth plates are considered closed.
How do you tell if you're still growing? ›As mentioned in one of the articles one good way to see if you still have growth potential is to X-ray a wrist- the test is called a Pediatric Bone Age. It will show if your growth plates are still open. A doctor can also request lab tests- checking for hormones- such as thyroid, growth hormone and sex hormones.
What should I eat to increase my height after 18? ›
- Beans. Beans are incredibly nutritious and an especially good source of protein ( 5 ). ...
- Chicken. Rich in protein along with a range of other essential nutrients, chicken can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet. ...
- Almonds. ...
- Leafy greens. ...
- Yogurt. ...
- Sweet potatoes. ...
- Quinoa. ...
- Eggs.
The International Center for Limb Lengthening performs cosmetic height surgery, also called stature lengthening, for healthy individuals who are unhappy with their height and want to be taller.
Does height come from mom or dad? ›The genetics of height
If they are tall or short, then your own height is said to end up somewhere based on the average heights between your two parents. Genes aren't the sole predictor of a person's height. In some instances, a child might be much taller than their parents and other relatives.
Your body produces human growth hormone (HGH) while you sleep. This hormone helps you develop muscle and actually grow taller. So if you're serious about getting taller, get plenty of sleep. School-age children should get between 10 and 11 hours of sleep.
What triggers growth plates? ›Hormones and the physis
Oestrogen causes maturation of the growth plate, accelerating skeletal maturation and the accumulation of minerals into the cartilage. Oestrogen also promotes the closure of the physis, stopping the axial growth of the bone.
The age of 18 is the transition stage between childhood and adulthood. During the adolescent period, several hormonal changes take place within the human body. It indeed is good news that an individual During grows 2 to 6 inches taller even after turning 18.
Do 18 year olds stop growing? ›But at what age do you stop growing taller? Even if you hit puberty late, you're unlikely to grow significantly after the ages of 18 to 20 .
Which drink is best for height growth after 18? ›You must continue drinking milk even after you pass the age of 18, to keep your bones healthy and boost your growth hormones. Ashwagandha is another superfood which is known for boosting growth.
What is the maximum age for a boy to grow taller? ›Changes in Boys
They tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but their muscles will continue to develop.