“Are there really growth supplements my son can take to be taller?”
My son is the shortest in the class, and I really don't want him to fall too much behind on the growth. I did a quick google search and saw something about growth supplements to help him get taller? Do these really help, and are they widely available?
4 Answers
First important to see endocrinologist to rule out any growth problem. Multivitamins and high protein diet could stimulate his normal growth.
Height is an important parameter of growth. Height is not only a measure of good health and nutrition, but also important symbol of social status in our modern society. Today the average adult man is a little above 5 feet 9 inches tall, while the average women is 5 feet 4 inches tall. How ever the average president in America is above 5 feet 11 inches. In the last 90 years all American presidents were 6 feet or more except Eisenhower and Carter who both were 5 feet and 10 inches tall (still taller than the average man in the USA). It is also true in all forms of politics and leadership positions and important jobs in governments and institutions, the taller person has a better chance than the smaller competitor to have the job. If a shorter man wins he must have a better attributes than the taller man. Relationships also go the same way. The taller person is more successful than the shorter one in relationships (such as dating). This may not be true for tall woman in terms of relationships. Most men marry shorter women than themselves, and most women marry taller men than them.
In sports most successful sports men in America are above 6 feet (exception may be soccer players). Stature is deeply ingrained in our perception that tallness is considered a sign of smartness, power, authority as special attribute of ones genetic endowment.
It is important to consider growth as an important measure of good health and nutrition. Normal linear height growth is determined by the population's height dispersion called standard deviation. Normal height is therefore a height within two standard deviation above and below the mean of height values for age and gender for that population. It includes about 95% of the population in consideration. It ranks the individual's height in that population. The two standard deviation falls between the 3rd percentile and 97% percentile of the heights of that population.. If some one is at the 10%, he/she is normal but at the shorter side for the population, and if one is at the 95 percentile he/she is normal but taller side. Those above 97 percentile are mostly healthy people but are very tall ( >6feet 3 inches). Few of them may have medical problems that may need attention but in most cases they are healthy tall people. People in the <3rd percentile of the population height are those less than 5 feet 4 inches for adult men and less that 5 feet for adult women.
In children who do not yet attain final adult height we only talk in terms of percentile ranking (comparisons), because, height without specific reference for age and gender does not have any meaning. However there are few caveats to consider when we talk about normal distribution of height in children of any population under consideration. WE also have to look at the genetic or family background to make sense of the child's height. If he/she is from tall parents and he or she is growing at the 25 or 50 percentile of the population for age and gender, that may not be normal though the child is in the normal growth distribution for age and gender. Therefore the genetic background should be looked at while child's height is accessed.
Most children growing below the 3rd percentile for age and gender or those who are not growing according to their genetic background need proper evaluation and workup to rule out hormonal, medical and genetic problems. Girls who are growing below the 3rd % need to be ruled out for turners syndrome.
One of the commonest causes of short stature are constitutional delay of growth and sexual development (late bloomers), familial short stature, idiopathic short statue (children who are small but parents are of good height and all medical workups are normal). Some of the hormonal causes of short stature or growth failure are Growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroid, cortisol excess and etc. Other medical causes are such as celiac, inflammatory bowel disease, renal insufficiency, renal tubular acidosis, anemia, heart diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, etc. Genetic disorder such as turners syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader Willi syndrome, Russell silver syndrome, downs syndrome, achondroplasia, hypochondroplasia or skeletal dysplasias etc, are few worth mentioning.
Going back to your question about growth supplements: The first step is have him evaluated properly. If he is the shortest in his class or among his peers, he needs to have proper work up to figure out if he has constitutional short stature (a late bloomer), familial short stature , idiopathic, medical, hormonal or genetic conditions. It is very important that he has proper evaluation. If he is deemed to have medical or hormonal deficiencies, he needs to be on some form of therapy. If every thing is normal but he is not growing and that he still has more growth potential, you need to find a good endocrinologist to help him grow to his genetic potential. In terms of supplement, besides healthy balanced nutrition there are no real growth supplements that are worth spending money. You can give him multivitamins daily. Health diet, regular physical activity and good sleep will be suffice for growth in a healthy child with no medical problems. You need to stay away from using supplements that are not scientifically proven or are not recommended for children.
Please work with your doctor closely. Have your son get evaluated properly and get help so he can grow to his genetic potential if/as indicated.
Good luck.
In sports most successful sports men in America are above 6 feet (exception may be soccer players). Stature is deeply ingrained in our perception that tallness is considered a sign of smartness, power, authority as special attribute of ones genetic endowment.
It is important to consider growth as an important measure of good health and nutrition. Normal linear height growth is determined by the population's height dispersion called standard deviation. Normal height is therefore a height within two standard deviation above and below the mean of height values for age and gender for that population. It includes about 95% of the population in consideration. It ranks the individual's height in that population. The two standard deviation falls between the 3rd percentile and 97% percentile of the heights of that population.. If some one is at the 10%, he/she is normal but at the shorter side for the population, and if one is at the 95 percentile he/she is normal but taller side. Those above 97 percentile are mostly healthy people but are very tall ( >6feet 3 inches). Few of them may have medical problems that may need attention but in most cases they are healthy tall people. People in the <3rd percentile of the population height are those less than 5 feet 4 inches for adult men and less that 5 feet for adult women.
In children who do not yet attain final adult height we only talk in terms of percentile ranking (comparisons), because, height without specific reference for age and gender does not have any meaning. However there are few caveats to consider when we talk about normal distribution of height in children of any population under consideration. WE also have to look at the genetic or family background to make sense of the child's height. If he/she is from tall parents and he or she is growing at the 25 or 50 percentile of the population for age and gender, that may not be normal though the child is in the normal growth distribution for age and gender. Therefore the genetic background should be looked at while child's height is accessed.
Most children growing below the 3rd percentile for age and gender or those who are not growing according to their genetic background need proper evaluation and workup to rule out hormonal, medical and genetic problems. Girls who are growing below the 3rd % need to be ruled out for turners syndrome.
One of the commonest causes of short stature are constitutional delay of growth and sexual development (late bloomers), familial short stature, idiopathic short statue (children who are small but parents are of good height and all medical workups are normal). Some of the hormonal causes of short stature or growth failure are Growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroid, cortisol excess and etc. Other medical causes are such as celiac, inflammatory bowel disease, renal insufficiency, renal tubular acidosis, anemia, heart diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, etc. Genetic disorder such as turners syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader Willi syndrome, Russell silver syndrome, downs syndrome, achondroplasia, hypochondroplasia or skeletal dysplasias etc, are few worth mentioning.
Going back to your question about growth supplements: The first step is have him evaluated properly. If he is the shortest in his class or among his peers, he needs to have proper work up to figure out if he has constitutional short stature (a late bloomer), familial short stature , idiopathic, medical, hormonal or genetic conditions. It is very important that he has proper evaluation. If he is deemed to have medical or hormonal deficiencies, he needs to be on some form of therapy. If every thing is normal but he is not growing and that he still has more growth potential, you need to find a good endocrinologist to help him grow to his genetic potential. In terms of supplement, besides healthy balanced nutrition there are no real growth supplements that are worth spending money. You can give him multivitamins daily. Health diet, regular physical activity and good sleep will be suffice for growth in a healthy child with no medical problems. You need to stay away from using supplements that are not scientifically proven or are not recommended for children.
Please work with your doctor closely. Have your son get evaluated properly and get help so he can grow to his genetic potential if/as indicated.
Good luck.
In children who meet specific criteria, growth hormone will help them grow taller. However, growth hormone must be prescribed by a physician and not all short children qualify. There are no other growth supplements that work, no matter what you read on the internet.
There are no "growth supplements" to make your son taller. What is really important is to see why he is not growing. Does he have thyroid problems? Liver problems? Kidney problems? Nutritional problems? Calcium problems? Vitamin D problems? As you can see, growth is a dynamic process controlled by different organs in your body. If you have a concern about his growth, the best option is to have him evaluated by an expert and rule out any medical issues.
