At age 16, you can drive a car. At 18, you’re legally an adult in most states. At 21, you can legally buy alcohol. 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
In this article, we’re going to discuss when guys typically stop growing and factors that determine how tall you’ll be.
Boys grow fastest during puberty. Some boys may begin puberty as early as nine while others might not hit it until they’re 15. For many guys, their biggest growth spurt will be between the ages of 12 to 15.
Puberty can last two to five years. Spending more time in puberty doesn’t mean that you’ll be taller than somebody who spends less time in it.
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.
Once a bone is fused, it can’t continue to grow longer.
Your height is largely determined by your genetics. External factors like the amount of sleep you get and your nutrition also play a role in determining how tall you’ll grow.
Genetics
Genetics play the largest role in determining how tall you’ll be. It’s estimated that about 80 percent of your height is determined by your genetics. The other 20 percent is influenced by external factors.
You can estimate a child’s height by using the mid-parental method:
- Add the heights of the child’s mother and father together and divide by two.
- If the child is a boy, add 2.5 inches. If the child is a girl, subtract 2.5 inches.
For example, if a male child’s dad is 5’11” and mom is 5’4,” the child will likely be around 5’10.” However, this is just a rough guide, not an exact prediction.
Nutrition
Besides your genetics, nutrition has the
Protein deficiency is the common nutrient deficiency that limits height. Mineral, vitamin D, and vitamin A deficiencies also impact growth.
Sleep
Your body produces growth hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone when you’re sleeping. Both these hormones are essential for the proper development of bones.
Not getting adequate sleep is thought to stunt growth, although more research is needed to fully understand the role of sleep on height development.
Medications
Some stimulant medications used to treat attention deficit disorder may cause delays in growth. However, more research is needed to understand their effects.
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Health conditions
Various genetic or chronic conditions can lead to stunted growth. Some conditions include:
Average height of men in the United States
According to the
There’s little you can do to influence your height once your growth plates fuse. Even regular exercise and a healthy diet are unlikely to influence your height.
You may be able to make a small gain in height by improving your posture. Improving your posture will help straighten your spine but won’t make your bones grow longer.
Some ways you may be able to improve your posture include:
- regular stretching
- strengthening your core
- sitting with good posture regularly
- exercising regularly
- avoiding slouching
Your height fluctuates by roughly
If you’re still growing, eating a balanced diet and getting plenty of sleep can help you maximize your genetic potential for growth.
It’s important for children to get regular checkups with a pediatrician so they can have their growth tracked over time. Their doctor can compare their growth curve those of other children their age to see if they’re progressing normally.
A doctor can also answer any specific concerns you may have about your or your child’s height.
Your genetics are the biggest factor that determine how tall you’ll be.
External factors like your diet and the amount of sleep you get as you’re growing also play a role in determining your health.
The growth plates of your long bones fuse shortly after puberty. Once these bones fuse, there’s little you can do to change your height. Most guys reach their adult height in their late teens.
FAQs
Do men keep growing until 25? ›
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.
Does growth stop at 25? ›After the growth spurt associated with puberty, the production of the aforementioned hormones reduces, and the growth plates of long bones fuse. This typically occurs around the age of 16 for women and somewhere between 14 and 19 for men. So in theory, after those ages, you cannot grow taller.
What age do males grow the most? ›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.
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.
Can growth hormone make you taller at 25? ›Can hGH make you taller? Human growth hormone increases vertical growth in children. However, once your growth plates have fused, hGH cannot make you taller. Instead, after you've reached your final height, hGH helps maintain your body's structure and has other important effects on your metabolism.
How can I tell if my growth plates are still 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.
What triggers growth plates to close? ›In children and young adults, the epiphyses are separated from the diaphysis by epiphyseal cartilage or plates, where bone grows in length. Estrogen and testosterone release at puberty initiates closure of the epiphyseal plates.
How do you stimulate growth plates? ›- 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.
ANSWER: Most males stop growing – significantly, anyway – around age 18, but “most” does not mean “all.” Men and women can continue to grow well into their 20s. Continued growth depends on whether bones have fused – become entirely bone.
Can growth plates close at 18? ›When bones finish growing, the growth plates close. Girls generally stop growing and reach their maximum height between ages 14 and 16, and boys finish their growth between 16 and 18 years of age.
Do growth plates close at 21? ›
As a child grows, the shafts get longer, and bone gradually replaces the cartilage epiphyses. Through the growing years, a layer of cartilage (the growth plate) separates each epiphyses from the bone shaft. Between 17 and 25 years, normal growth stops. The development and union of separate bone parts is complete.
Can growth plates be open after 18? ›Although most adults won't grow taller after age 18 to 20, there are exceptions to this rule. First, the closure of the growth plates may be delayed in some individuals (36, 37). If the growth plates remain open past age 18 to 20, which is uncommon, height could continue to increase.
Can growth plates close after 20? ›Normally, the average age of growth plate ossification is 20 years old. So height will usually stop growing when you turn 20. There are still a few cases where it is possible to grow taller after this age. However, the growth rate as well as the ability to grow in the period after the age of 20 is very low.