What Stunts Growth?

The things that really stunt growth are long-term undernutrition (including extreme dieting), untreated chronic illnesses and hormone problems, and anabolic steroids. A few medicines and substances may shave off a small amount of height, while popular myths like coffee, lifting weights and masturbation have no effect. Most of these factors only matter while your growth plates are still open.

Does it stunt growth? Quick answers

Your genes set your height range. Growth gets stunted when something keeps your body from reaching that range while the growth plates are still open. Here's how common worries compare:

Things that really can stunt growth

Not eating enough and extreme dieting

Malnutrition is a well-known cause of short stature. Growing bones need enough total calories, protein, calcium and other nutrients. Teens in weight-class or "lean" sports, or anyone trying to lose weight fast, can fall short without realizing it, and eating disorders can slow growth significantly. If you're still growing, eat enough to fuel both your activity and your growth (see foods that help you grow taller).

Untreated chronic illness and hormone problems

MedlinePlus lists many medical causes of short stature, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, diabetes, congenital heart disease, asthma, sickle cell anemia, hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency. Many of these can be treated, and growth often improves once they are. That's why unexplained slow growth should always be checked.

Anabolic steroids

Anabolic steroids and non-prescribed testosterone can signal growth plates to close early in teens who are still growing, leading to shorter adult height. Our guides on testosterone and HGH explain why hormones don't work as height boosters.

Medicines: small effects, and never stop on your own

ADHD medication (Adderall, Ritalin)

Stimulant medicines may slow growth a little, so doctors track height and weight while you take them. The research on adult height is mixed:

• A large North American study that followed children with ADHD into their mid-20s found those who took stimulants consistently or on and off were about 1 inch (2.55 cm) shorter as adults than those who barely took them.
• A US population-based study of 340 children with ADHD found stimulant treatment was not linked to any difference in adult height.

If you're worried, ask your doctor about tracking your growth and weighing the benefits of treatment. Do not stop or change your medication without them.

Corticosteroids (steroid medicines for asthma, allergies and inflammation)

These are not the same as anabolic steroids. The NHS lists slowed growth in children and teens as a possible side effect, mostly with higher doses or longer use. Inhaled asthma steroids have a much smaller effect: in a major US trial, children who used daily inhaled budesonide for 4 to 6 years ended up about half an inch (1.2 cm) shorter as adults, and the gap didn't keep growing over time.

Asthma itself is on MedlinePlus's list of chronic conditions that can affect growth, so controlling it matters too. Never stop a steroid suddenly; your doctor may need to lower the dose gradually.

Melatonin

There's no evidence melatonin stunts growth, but there are open questions. According to the NIH, melatonin appears safe for most kids in the short term, but there's little information on long-term use, and it's not known whether it affects puberty. Supplement labels are also unreliable: in one study, 22 of 25 melatonin gummies were mislabeled, with 74% to 347% of the amount listed. Talk to a doctor before using it regularly.

Smoking, vaping, alcohol and weed

Smoking and vaping

A Canadian study followed 929 teens from about age 12 for five years. In boys, every extra 100 cigarettes a month was linked to being about a quarter inch (0.7 cm) shorter. Girls showed no difference. It's one observational study, but it fits with smoking's other harms. There are no height studies on vaping yet. The CDC warns that nicotine is highly addictive and can harm the parts of a teen's brain that control attention, learning, mood and impulse control.

Alcohol

An NIH-funded review reports that drinking in adolescence is linked with lower growth hormone, testosterone and estrogen, lower bone density, and delayed puberty. In one study, girls who drank before puberty had about four times the chance of delayed puberty. How much this changes final height isn't well measured, but it's a real reason to wait.

Weed

Honestly, nobody knows. A 2018 systematic review looked for human studies on cannabis and puberty and found none good enough to include. That means no reliable evidence either way, not proof that it's harmless.

Poor sleep

Growth hormone is released mainly during sleep. According to KidsHealth, one sleepless night won't stunt growth, but regularly getting too little sleep suppresses growth hormone and may affect growth over time. Teens need 8 to 10 hours. See does sleep make you taller.

Bottom line: The biggest, most fixable things are eating enough, sleeping enough and getting slow growth checked. Small medicine effects should be discussed with your doctor, not handled on your own.

Myths that don't stunt growth

• Coffee and caffeine: no evidence they affect height (does coffee stunt growth).
• Lifting weights: supervised training doesn't stunt growth (does lifting weights stunt growth).
• Creatine: no evidence it stunts growth, though teen research is limited (does creatine stunt growth).
• Masturbation: it does not stunt growth or cause health problems. It's a normal part of development.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you:

• Haven't grown in a year, or seem to have stopped growing
• Are dropping across percentile lines on the growth chart
• Are much shorter than most people your age or than your parents' heights suggest
• Show no signs of puberty by about 14 (boys) or 13 (girls)
• Have ongoing belly pain, diarrhea, weight loss or tiredness along with slow growth
• Are restricting food, using steroids, or worried about substance use

The takeaway

Most of what stunts growth comes down to the body not getting what it needs: enough food, enough sleep and treatment for any health problems. Those are fixable while you're still growing. Myths like coffee, lifting and masturbation aren't worth worrying about.