Does Water Make You Taller?
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Time to read 7 min
As kids, our parents encouraged us to drink a lot of water to support our overall health and development. Water is indeed vital to our bodies performing optimally. In fact, around 60% of the human body is water, carried by cells to different body parts and organs to help them function [₁].Considering how important water is for the human body to survive, does it play a role in increasing height? Let’s explore that in this article.
Does Water Make You Taller?
Before determining if water can make you taller, we first need to define what influences a person’s height in the first place.
Height is 80% determined by genetics, i.e., the DNA that an individual inherits from their parents. Because of this, there is not much one can do to grow taller after reaching their full height potential after puberty [₂]. However, there is a remaining 20% that consists of biological and environmental factors, mainly hormones and nutrition. Studies show that proper nutrition can maximize the genetic potential of height as well as support bone growth and development [₃][₄]. This is where water comes in.
While it can’t magically help you gain a couple more inches in height, water can improve the absorption of vital nutrients your body needs for growth [₅]. Specifically, it cleanses the body, removes toxins, and breaks down the food we eat, improving the cells’ ability to absorb vitamins and minerals and convert them to energy efficiently.
Water can also help prevent height loss caused by aging. Studies show that humans lose ¼ to ⅓ of an inch of height per decade after the age of 40, caused by the loss of muscle mass and poorer posture [₆]. Adequate water consumption can supply the bones, muscles, and joints with essential nutrients to keep age-related shrinking at bay. It is also crucial in boosting bone density and combating the effects of osteoporosis [₇].
Benefits Of Water For Height
While the relationship between water and height is indirect, supplying the body with enough water and hydration can prove beneficial for reaching maximum height potential and countering age-related height loss.
Aids the Digestive System
Water aids the functions of the body’s digestive system. It helps break down the food we consume, extracting the essential vitamins and minerals for easy absorption by the body’s cells [₈].
Water is crucial for absorbing growth-boosting vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, protein, and vitamins A, C, and D [₉].
Assists in Weight Loss
Adequate water supplies to the human body help improve metabolic rates by 25% for up to an hour, helping the body burn more calories and supporting weight loss [₁₀].
While this isn’t directly related to height, achieving a healthy weight improves stature and balances your body mass index. A good ratio of weight to height can help you appear taller and fitter [₁₁][₁₂].
Enhances Physical Performance
Several studies link the importance of exercise to statural, hypertrophic, and reparative growth. It’s been found that regular physical activity stimulates the secretion of the human growth hormone (HGH) and other anabolic hormones during a child’s formative years [₁₃].
While the effects of exercise in boosting height aren’t as prominent in adults, it does help regulate body composition and minimize bone loss. It also strengthens the bones and prevents osteoporosis, which is crucial in maintaining proper posture and preventing age-related height loss [₁₄].
Flushes Out Toxins
The body can naturally get rid of toxins through three major organs: the kidney, colon, and liver. The kidney filters blood and produces urine to flush toxins out of the body [₁₅].
The colon, also known as the large intestine, gets rid of byproducts that were not absorbed by the small intestine [₁₆].
The liver neutralizes and processes harmful substances, ensuring they don’t get into the bloodstream [₁₇].
Water helps facilitate all these functions, making the kidney, colon, and liver more effective in flushing out toxins [₁₈]. As a result, water assists in cleansing the body and improving its absorption of important nutrients for growth and development [₁₉].
Improves Absorption of Growth Supplements
The primary benefit of water in the human body is its way of enhancing the absorption of vitamins and minerals. This makes it significantly important when taking growth supplements [₂₀].
Adequate hydration is essential for overall health and plays a supportive role in digestion and nutrient absorption. By ensuring the body remains hydrated, water helps optimize the efficiency of metabolic processes, which can indirectly support the effectiveness of supplements that promote growth [₂₁].
Improves Joint and Muscle Health
Water plays an important role in the proper function and recovery of joints. The joints use water to produce synovial fluid, lubricating them and creating a cushion that stops them from rubbing together during movement [₂₂].
Water also helps build muscle. In fact, 76% of muscle mass is water, helping it form protein and preventing muscles from contracting. Studies have found that a decline in total body water leads to loss of muscle mass and strength as we age, which can significantly impact posture and height [₂₃].
Prevents Dehydration
Dehydration caused by the lack of fluid is a leading cause of medical complications, including seizures, brain swelling, and kidney failure. It deprives the body of the water needed to absorb vitamins and minerals to function optimally [₂₄].
Dehydration can also impact the spine, causing spinal disks to grind together and hamper flexibility. This can impact posture and height, as well as cause harmful shock [₂₅].
Drinking adequate amounts of water a day can help combat dehydration and assist the body in growth and development. This is especially crucial in a child’s formative years, allowing them to reach their full height potential [₂₆].
How Much Water To Drink For Height
Water supports plenty of our bodily functions, many of which may have an impact on linear and statural growth. To fully maximize the benefits of water for optimal height gain, you should be drinking the right amount every day.
How much water to drink exactly will depend on your gender, age, weight, and height. But generally, the , is 3.7 liters a day for men and 2.7 liters a day for women recommended daily fluid intake, according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [₂₇].
This amount refers only to fluids from water. It’s also essential to obtain fluid intake from food and other beverages, such as [₂₈]:
- Juicy fruits and veggies - 90 to 99% water content
- Fruit juice and yogurt - 80 to 89% water content
- Avocados, bananas, and potatoes - 70 to 79% water content
- Fish, chicken breasts, beans, pasta, and peas - 60 to 69% water content
- Bagels and bread - 30 to 39% water content
- Cookies, crackers, cereal, and nuts - 1 to 9% water content
For a more personalized estimate of how much water you need, you can use a hydration calculator [₂₉].
SUMMARY:
Water is essential for overall health, but while it doesn't directly increase height, it plays a vital role in supporting growth and maintaining posture. Water aids growth indirectly by improving nutrient absorption, helping to break down food, and ensuring vitamins and minerals like calcium and protein are properly absorbed.
Water also helps with bone health by boosting bone density and preventing age-related height loss caused by muscle mass loss and poor posture. Additionally, it supports digestion, muscle health, joint lubrication, and toxin elimination, all contributing to better posture and general well-being. Adequate hydration is essential for the proper function of the body, aiding in muscle recovery, promoting joint health, and preventing dehydration, which can hinder flexibility and height.
While it doesn’t increase height directly, water supports the body's overall functions that optimize growth, especially in children. For adults, staying hydrated helps reduce bone loss and supports posture, preventing shrinkage with age.
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