how to increase height

Understand that most of your height will be determined by genetics of your family. Height is a polygenic trait, meaning that it's influenced by several different genes. Having two short parents doesn't necessarily mean you'll be short, just as two tall parents won't make you a towering giant. However, if most of the people on both sides of your family are short, odds are that you'll be short, too. Don't be discouraged, though. The truth is that you can't know how tall you'll be until you reach full physical adulthood in your mid twenties.

• Calculate your projected height. Working in inches or centimeters, you can try to predict your height based on the height of your parents.
  • Add up your mom and dad's heights (in inches or cm).
  • Add 5 inches (13 cm) if you're a boy; subtract 5 inches (13 cm) if you're a girl.
  • Divide by 2.
  • The answer is your predicted height, give or take 4 inches (10 cm). Note that this isn't an absolute calculation, but it should be pretty close.
    
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    How to Grow Taller

    Your height is largely determined by your genetics and environment. Although several factors that determine your height are out of your control, there are a few things such as your height stays the same. Before that window closes, however, you can use the following techniques and exercises to reach your full potential.

    StepsEdit

    1. 
       1
       Understand that most of your height will be determined by genetics of your family. Height is a polygenic trait, meaning that it's influenced by several different genes. Having two short parents doesn't necessarily mean you'll be short, just as two tall parents won't make you a towering giant. However, if most of the people on both sides of your family are short, odds are that you'll be short, too. Don't be discouraged, though. The truth is that you can't know how tall you'll be until you reach full physical adulthood in your mid twenties.

       • Calculate your projected height. Working in inches or centimeters, you can try to predict your height based on the height of your parents.
         • Add up your mom and dad's heights (in inches or cm).
         • Add 5 inches (13 cm) if you're a boy; subtract 5 inches (13 cm) if you're a girl.
         • Divide by 2.
         • The answer is your predicted height, give or take 4 inches (10 cm). Note that this isn't an absolute calculation, but it should be pretty close.^[1]
    2. 
       2
       Avoid growth-stunting factors. There might not be a lot you can do to increase your height, but you can take several steps to make sure your natural height isn't shortened by environmental influences. Drugs and alcohol are both thought to contribute to stunted growth if they're ingested while you're young, and malnutrition can keep you from reaching your full height, as well.

       • Does caffeine really stunt your growth? Scientific study shows that caffeine does not stunt growth.^[2] Caffeine does, however, have a higher chance of keeping you from sleeping soundly and regularly. Kids and adolescents need about around 9 1/2 hours of sleep, and caffeine may hurt your ability to get that much sleep.
       • Does smoking really stunt your growth? The effects of smoking and second-hand smoke on body mass index (BMI) are inconclusive, however, according to Columbia University's Internet Health Resource: "the available research suggests that children who smoke, or who are exposed to second-hand smoke are shorter than those who do not smoke or are children of non-smokers."^[3]
       • Do steroids really stunt your growth? Absolutely. Anabolic steroids inhibit bone growth in young children and teens, along with lowering sperm count, decreasing breast size, elevating blood pressure and putting you at higher risk of heart attack.^[4]Children and teens who suffer from asthma and use inhalers that dispense small doses of the steroid budesonide are, on average, half an inch shorter than those not treated with steroids.