After 18 years old, how does height grow?

Studies show that genetic factors determine 60 to 80% of a person's height. This is an uncontrollable factor, however, we can still change the remaining 20 to 40%, according to the health website Verywell Health (USA).

During puberty, we usually grow 5 to 7 cm/year.

For most people, height stops increasing after the age of 18. Statistics show that during puberty, most of us can grow 5 to 7 cm in height per year. When this stage is over, we will almost stop growing. However, the body can still grow horizontally.

Research shows that the main reason we stop growing is because of our bones, specifically our growth plates. Growth plates are located in the tissue near the ends of bones in children and adolescents, and determine the length and shape of bones when they reach adulthood.

Each bone has at least two growth plates, located at the ends of the bones. During puberty, we grow taller because the growth plates are still active and help the bones grow longer. When puberty ends, hormonal changes in the body cause these growth plates to harden and the bones stop growing. Typically, the growth plates harden at age 16 in girls and between ages 14 and 19 in boys.

Experts say that after the age of 18, we can still grow a little taller, but it can only happen during the period of 19 or 20 years old. After the age of 20, most people's height cannot change.

To optimize height, people need to know how to take care of their bodies during puberty. The first thing to pay attention to is nutrition. For the body to grow to its optimal height, teenagers need to have a balanced diet with vitamins, minerals and many other nutrients.

Lack of nutrients can slow down height growth. In particular, teenagers need to get enough vitamin D and calcium. These are two very important nutrients for bone development, according to the health website Verywell Health .