How to Increase Height Naturally: Factors That Influence Growth

While an adult's height is primarily determined by genetic predisposition, various diet and lifestyle choices can significantly impact whether a person reaches their full height potential.  

Discover the environmental factors that influence and determine growth and learn how to increase height naturally.

Is it possible to increase your height?

Yes, it’s possible to increase your height, particularly during the active growth phases of childhood and adolescence. During this time, the growth plates in the bones are still open, allowing for increases in height before they gradually close as puberty concludes.

Most people stop growing during the late teenage or early adult years, although girls often reach their final height earlier, depending on when they start puberty.

While genetics establish the foundation for height, other factors contribute to reaching maximum growth potential before growth plates close. These include nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and hormone levels. 

Therefore, focusing on the right dietary habits, especially during growth phases, supports bone health, while physical activity and getting enough restful sleep encourage the release of growth hormones. 

Once skeletal growth plates close, a height increase becomes unlikely. However, maintaining a good posture and supporting skeletal health can combat shrinking caused by age-related changes in bone density. 

Watch the video below to learn how to increase your height and grow taller.

What factors affect height?

An adult's final actual height is determined by a variety of factors that work together during active growth phases until skeletal development and growth plate closure are complete.

Here are five main factors determining height.

1. Genetics

Research published in the Annals of Human Biology suggests that genetic predisposition accounts for approximately 90 percent of an individual's height. 

While height is strongly linked to hereditary aspects, dietary and environmental factors influence whether an individual reaches their full genetic height potential.

2. Growth hormones

Growth and development are regulated mainly by three primary hormones: human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and thyroid hormones.

These growth hormones regulate height by stimulating the growth and lengthening of bones, help regulate overall metabolic processes, and contribute to skeletal maturation before growth plates close. 

Additionally, during puberty, sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone further influence this process, triggering growth spurts that can significantly affect final height.

3. Nutrition

Nutrition plays a crucial role in growth by providing the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed for bone development and overall physical growth. 

Nutritional deficiencies during critical growth periods can stunt development and prevent individuals from reaching their full height potential.

4. Physical activity

Physical activity is essential for growth as it promotes bone strength, stimulates the release of growth hormones, and supports overall physical development.

Activities such as jumping rope, running, swimming, and strength-building exercises can enhance bone density, improve posture, and encourage growth hormone release, all of which contribute to reaching optimal height potential during growth years.

5. Sleep

During deep sleep, the body releases human growth hormones, which promote bone growth and tissue repair. 

Getting enough sleep, combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, is essential for optimizing hormone production, which is crucial for supporting growth and development.

How to increase height naturally

Several factors play a key role in supporting growth and may help you grow taller or increase height by a few inches, especially during the growing years. 

“While genetics largely determine your final height, following a nutritious diet and adopting the right lifestyle habits can help you achieve your maximum height potential,” explains Dr. Berg. 

Here are five effective ways to naturally promote height growth. 

1. Follow a nutritious diet  

According to a study published in The Lancet, malnourishment is a leading cause of stunted growth as inadequate intake of essential nutrients during childhood hinders proper bone development and overall growth potential.

The authors conclude, “Development and growth are influenced by food and nutrition, including energy balance and adequacy and quality of nutrients, especially proteins, fats, and micronutrients.” 

While maintaining an overall nutritious diet to cover all of the body’s nutritional needs is critical, zinc plays an especially important role in growth as it serves as a vital co-factor in the production of human growth hormone.

Zinc is found in various foods, including meat, shellfish, seeds, and nuts. Unfortunately, many children and adolescents don’t consume enough zinc, especially those whose diets are low in animal products or high in ultra-processed foods.

In addition, processing caffeine, grains, and sugars in the body depletes zinc, leaving kids and teenagers who regularly consume coffee, energy drinks, and processed foods at a higher risk of zinc deficiency and stunted growth.

2. Consume enough protein 

Adequate protein intake is crucial for hormone production, muscle development, and overall skeletal growth. 

A study published in Economics & Human Biology confirms this, highlighting that the consumption of high-quality protein, including milk products, red meat, eggs, and some species of fish during developmental phases, was associated with a greater full adult height. 

3. Maintain a healthy body weight 

Maintaining a healthy body weight during childhood and adolescence is critical for supporting growth and is strongly associated with achieving optimal adult height. 

Underweight children may experience stunted growth due to inadequate nutrition, while excessive body weight can strain a developing skeletal system, potentially interfering with proper bone development.

Therefore, adopting a nutritious diet focusing on foods that offer adequate protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients while limiting sugars, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods is an excellent strategy to grow taller and reach maximum height.  

4. Support optimal vitamin D levels 

Supporting optimal vitamin D levels is crucial for increasing height, particularly during developmental growth stages such as childhood and adolescence. 

Vitamin D plays a key role in calcium absorption, which is essential for growth. Vitamin D deficiency can significantly increase the risk of poor bone mineralization and impaired skeletal development, which subsequently hinders height growth.

Because vitamin D is produced in response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight, children and teenagers with sedentary lifestyles, such as those who spend long hours indoors playing video games, are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. 

Encouraging outdoor play and sun exposure, in combination with consuming vitamin D-rich foods or supplements, can help ensure optimal vitamin D levels for supporting growth and overall health.

5. Maintain a good body posture 

Once you reach adulthood, it’s unlikely that you can significantly increase your height as your growth plates have closed. However, maintaining good body posture can help counteract age-related skeletal shrinking. 

Standing with feet flat on the ground, shoulder width apart while engaging your core muscles can create the appearance of added height. Wearing shoes with slightly taller heels can also contribute to a taller appearance. 

Additionally, avoiding slouching and keeping your knees slightly bent can prevent spinal compression linked to decrease in height over time. 

Focusing on good posture and spinal health can help preserve height, support overall balance, reduce the risk of falls, and enhance mobility for older adults.

Key takeaways

Are you wondering how to increase height naturally and achieve your full growth potential?

While final adult height is primarily determined by genetics, following a nutritious diet, getting adequate sleep, and being physically active can support optimal growth during childhood and adolescence. 

In addition, ensuring sufficient intake of protein and key nutrients such as vitamin D and zinc, in combination with maintaining a healthy weight, can help maximize height potential.   

FAQ

1. Can you naturally get taller?

While height is largely determined by genetic components, dietary and lifestyle factors also play a critical role in maximizing an individual's full height potential.  

2. How can I increase height naturally?

Growing taller can be supported by following a nutritious diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients crucial for growth and development, particularly during childhood and adolescence. 

Additionally, getting adequate sleep, staying physically active, and maintaining a healthy body weight are vital in optimizing growth hormone production and promoting skeletal development, helping you reach your full height potential.

3. Can I increase my height after 18?

Most individuals stop growing during their late teenage years. However, you can help maximize skeletal growth potential by consuming a nutritious diet focusing on high-quality protein and zinc-rich foods, maintaining optimal vitamin D levels, and engaging in regular exercise. 

In addition, adults who have completed their growth can minimize the risk of age-related shrinking and improve posture by supporting spinal alignment, strengthening core muscles, and staying active.

4. At what age do you stop growing?

Height growth stops when skeletal growth plates close, which is typically between the ages of 18 and 20.

However, in some cases, women may stop growing sooner as their growth plates can close as early as 16 years of age. 

5. Can kids do intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is generally not recommended for children and younger teens, as these age groups are in critical growth phases and need consistent nutrient intake to support healthy development. 

However, older teenagers may practice intermittent fasting under proper guidance and medical supervision to ensure they meet their nutritional needs and don’t interfere with their growth and development.

Sources

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10368389/ 

2. PIIS0140-6736(20)31859-6/fulltext#seccestitle10 

3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/