For many people, coffee is a morning ritual. Whether it’s to help wake them up or just to enjoy the taste, coffee is a part of many people’s day.
Young people especially often drink coffee, but some wonder if it will stunt their growth. So, the big question is, If you drink coffee will you stop growing?
There’s no solid evidence that coffee has any effect on your height. The main reason people think coffee might stunt your growth is because of caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant, and it could interfere with sleep. Not getting enough sleep in long term can lead to stunted growth.
The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee is unlikely to have any significant effect on your sleep or growth. It is a misconception that drinking coffee without sugar will keep you awake.
If you’re concerned about your height, there’s no need to give up your beloved morning cup of coffee. Let’s take a look at how coffee and caffeine can or can’t affect your growth.
If You Drink Coffee Will You Stop Growing
A person’s height is mostly determined by their genetics. Your parents probably passed down genes or the “blueprint” for how tall you will end up being.
Eating a nutritious diet is important for proper growth. If you don’t eat enough calories or if you miss key nutrients (like protein, calcium, and iron) your body won’t grow as it should.
Some health conditions can also impact your height. For instance, if you have celiac disease or another condition that affects your ability to absorb nutrients from food, you may be shorter than you would otherwise be.
Coffee itself doesn’t affect growth, but if you drink too much caffeine it can interfere with sleep. And not getting enough sleep can impact growth hormone production, which in turn can affect height.
So if you’re drinking a lot of coffee and not getting enough sleep, it could indirectly impact your height.
Why Do People Think Coffee Stunts Growth
The myth probably started because coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. And it’s true that in large doses, caffeine can interfere with sleep.
Not getting enough sleep can impact growth hormone production, which in turn can affect height.
But it’s important to remember that caffeine is found in lots of things besides coffee, including tea, soda, energy drinks, and chocolate.
So if caffeine was the sole culprit, you’d expect to see stunted growth in people who consume these other products. But that’s not the case.
In fact, a large body of research has found no link between coffee consumption and stunted growth. Some people also believe osteoporosis, which can lead to shorter stature, is more common in coffee drinkers.
Caffeine can indeed have a negative impact on calcium absorption. But the body is very good at compensating for this by increasing calcium excretion through the urine.
So, while caffeine may slightly reduce calcium absorption, it doesn’t appear to impact bone health or increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Does Caffeine Stunt Growth
Caffeine does not prevent the body from absorbing calcium or other nutrients needed for bone growth. This means that caffeine does not have any effect on growth or development in children and adolescents.
In general, it is recommended that children aged 12-18 consume no more than 100mg of caffeine per day. This is the equivalent of one small cup of coffee or two cans of soda.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 12 consume no caffeine at all.
Caffeine has not been linked to stunted growth in children or adolescents. Some research suggests that caffeine consumption may be associated with lower bone density in young adults, but this does not appear to affect overall growth or development.
Consuming large amounts of caffeine can lead to side effects such as anxiety, jitteriness, and difficulty sleeping.
The effect diuretic properties of caffeine also can lead to temporary fluid loss and dehydration. Inadequate hydration is often associated with sleepiness and fatigue, which can affect growth and development.
Can Coffee Prevent Growth Spurts
A growth spurt is a period of rapid growth that occurs during puberty. During this time, the body produces large amounts of the hormone testosterone, which stimulates bone and muscle growth. Coffee does not affect the timing or intensity of growth spurts.
Pubertal growth spurts are a normal part of the development and usually occur between the ages of 10 and 16 in boys and 8 and 14 in girls. The timing of growth spurts varies from person to person and is determined by genetic factors.
Caffeine may help to stimulate growth hormone production by the pituitary cells, but this has not been proven conclusively. However, there is no evidence that coffee consumption delays or prevents growth spurts.
What Can Cause You to Stop Growing
There are several potential causes of stunted growth. Poor nutrition and certain medical conditions are the most common reasons for stunted growth in children and adolescents.
- Chronic illness: Children who have chronic illnesses such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and cystic fibrosis often experience delays in growth and development.
- Hormone disorders: Conditions such as hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency can interfere with normal growth and development.
- Malnutrition: Poor nutrition is a major cause of stunted growth. Malnourished children often have deficiencies in essential nutrients such as protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals.
- Genetic disorders: Some genetic disorders can cause short stature. Examples include dwarfism and achondroplasia.
- Cancer: Children with cancer may experience delays in growth and development due to the disease itself or treatment side effects such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Down syndrome: This genetic condition is associated with short stature, low muscle tone, and other developmental delays.
Other factors that can affect growth and development, include environmental factors such as pollution and exposure to toxins.
Poverty, social isolation, and emotional stress can also interfere with normal growth and development.
Conclusion
If you drink coffee will you stop growing? This is not a cause-and-effect relationship. Caffeine has not been shown to stunt growth in children or adolescents.
Caffeine consumption may be associated with lower bone density in young adults, but this does not appear to affect overall growth or development.
However, large amounts of caffeine can lead to side effects such as anxiety and difficulty sleeping, which can negatively affect growth and development.
