Master these 3 keys and your children will grow taller optimally

Don’t worry when you cannot change genetic factors that cause short stature in your children. There’s a lot you can do to help your kids grow taller as long as you understand the mechanism of how people actually develop their height during childhood.

This article gives you an insight into what we should REALLY do to optimize the height growth of our children.

1. The steering wheel of height growth

Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, is the key factor that drives the whole process of growing taller. Released from the pituitary gland, it triggers the secretion of insulin-like growth factor hormones (IGF) that stimulate linear bone growth in children [1].

The HGH level goes up substantially during puberty in both girls and boys [2]. This partly explains why children at the age of 10 - 15 see a growth spurt with an average rise up to 4 inches per year.

Once the production of growth hormone is facilitated, children can maximize their height development at any stages of their development, not just the pubertal period.

SUMMARY

The secretion of growth hormone determines how a kid grows taller, so parents need to create the best conditions for optimal releases of GH in their children.

1.1. Nutrients for HGH production

Since a diet rich in protein and amino acids has been proved to boost the amount of natural HGH, what your children need to do is concentrate on consuming protein adequately every day [3].

For your convenience, we’ve made a brief list of various foods, both animal-derived and plant-based to create a menu with high content of these two nutrients for your kids.

Every child has a different need of protein per day due to their age group, gender and activity levels. You can find out the suitable daily intake for your child using the DRI calculator.

On the other hand, high intake of sugar and refined carbs decreases the HGH level in your children by causing abrupt rises of insulin level, breaking the proper secretion of growth hormone [4]. That’s why you may not want your children to consume too much sweets or soda for the sake of their health in general and their height in particular.

SUMMARY

Children need an adequate consumption of protein and amino acids on a daily basis to facilitate their growth hormone production. Be careful with snacks and sugary foods that result in insulin spikes and stunt your kids’ height growth.

1.2. What kind of exercise really helps?

When it comes to a physical exercise for children to grow tall, you might be confused by a bulk of information warning that some forms of training like weightlifting or marathon will stunt children’s growth.

Here’s the truth: a minimum duration of 10 minutes doing ANY FORM of INTENSE exercise on a regular basis is good for kids to increase their height. Weight training does not cause harm even for pre-pubertal children [5].

As long as properly practiced under professional instructions and supervision, high-intensity exercises can stimulate the release of HGH significantly, and thus enhance the effective growth of children’s height [6],[7]. Of course, kids must avoid overtraining and injuries in order not to incur counterproductive effects.

That is not to mention how these activities promote metabolism, physical strength and immune system for children to grow well and grow tall. As a baby, toddler, preschooler, school-aged child, or adolescent, your kid can choose from a variety of exercise forms depending on their age and personal preference.

SUMMARY

Keep your children active with frequent exercises to optimize the secretion of growth hormone and advance their height.

1.3. Optimal sleep

The peak of growth hormone pulses occurs during the deepest phase of a night’s sleep, mostly before midnight and in early morning [8]. If your children want to get taller quickly, a deep and sound sleep at night is a must.

The conditions for a quality sleep can be divided into two main groups:

• For the sufficient period of time: it varies among different age groups, ranging from 8 hours to over 10 hours per night. Children at younger ages need to sleep more than the older ones [9].

• For the deep phase of sleep that allows highest level of HGH: besides keeping a quiet and pleasant space for a sound slumber, children should avoid anything that interrupts their sleep, including high intake of caffeine, heavy meals, and the exposure to blue light of electronic devices before going to bed [10],[11].

SUMMARY

Make sure your children go to bed early before midnight and get deep sleeps, otherwise they will lose the golden hours to maximize HGH production for height increase.

1.4. Dietary supplements for HGH

Melatonin, arginine, 5-HTP and approved herbs that support brain functions and blood flow, like ginkgo biloba, are widely known to improve sleep and thus induce the natural release of growth hormone [12],[13],[14],[15],[16].

Some of the substances, i.e. melatonin, are even proved to directly promote the secretion of HGH [17],[18].

For kids who unfortunately struggle to have a quality sleep, using supplements can be a helpful solution. However, any supplements should be taken with cautions and proper dosage for each age group, no matter how safe and popular they appear. Children should use such products only as an aid to their natural HGH level instead of a treatment, especially if they have diseases or disorders affecting sleep pattern and growth hormone.

SUMMARY

Some supplements with brain and sleep boosting ingredients can enhance the natural release of growth hormone, thereby advancing the height of children.

2. Materials for bone growth

Here comes the question seen everywhere on the internet: “What are the best foods for kids to increase height?”, or “What else besides milk?”

Just remember this simple golden rule: feed the bones of your children what they take to grow in length.

The following nutrients are important for children’s daily diet because of their special roles in bone structure [19],[20],[21].

• Protein: producing collagen, which is one of the two fundamental elements of bones.

• Calcium: the other fundamental element of bone structure.

• Vitamin C: constructing collagen.

• Vitamin D3: supporting bones in the absorption of calcium.

The table below is a good suggestion for you to diversify your menus and optimize nutrition for your children’s height at the same time.

Another rule to remember: a balanced diet is the optimal diet for children to grow well. Do not make a fuss over these “fantastic four” nutrients then overlook the harmony of all the foods in a meal, or the role of other minerals and vitamins in the development of your children.

SUMMARY

Your kids need an adequate intake of essential nutrients, especially protein, calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D3 to enable the best skeletal growth and get taller.

3. Watch out for adverse health conditions!

All your efforts with growth hormone and bone-building nutrition may possibly go nowhere if your children unfortunately suffer unfavorable health conditions.

Some diseases limit the absorption of nutrients and impair children’s development, thereby hindering the increase of their height. The following groups of diseases have the worst impacts on their linear growth.

1. Concerning low level of HGH: growth hormone deficiency (dwarfism), hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome.

2. Diseases that disrupt nutrient absorption of bones: enteritis, celiac disease, congenital heart defects, anemia, chronic kidney disease.

3. Injured growth plates: juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

4. Weak bones: osteoporosis, osteomalacia.

5. Spinal misalignment: spine curvature disorders, i.e. kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis, bowlegs, knock knees.

6. Genetic conditions that restrain body growth: Down syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome.

Some of them, sadly, are inevitable, but the others can be mitigated if you seek medical intervention for your children as soon as possible.

To minimize the harmful effects of such diseases, you need to make certain that your kids maintain their wellness with hygiene, good living environment, and positive habits such as having good posture in standing and sitting.

SUMMARY

Some types of health conditions limit the height potential in children. Prevention and treatment of these diseases are important for your children to grow taller.  

Overall

Anything you do to improve the stature of your kids has to follow the nature of children’s growth.

Their height will achieve the best result when you make efforts all together on the three factors: promoting the production of natural growth hormone, supplementing essential nutrients for bone growth, and preventing detrimental diseases.

Next time you see a certain claim about any “magical height increase for children”, look into it with a scientific perspective. Revisit the three keys discussed above, and you will find the right door to a successful height improvement for your kids.

SOURCES