- Fact-checked by Dr. Desiree Granados
Testosterone is well-known for its role in male development, energy levels, and sexual function. However, it also plays an essential role in physical growth, including height. In this blog, we’ll explore testosterone’s impact on growth, how it affects height at different ages, and whether testosterone therapy or natural testosterone boosts can help you increase your height.
Testosterone’s Role in Growth
Testosterone is a key hormone in the body that contributes to the development of male physical characteristics such as muscle mass, deep voice, and facial hair. During puberty, testosterone is essential in triggering the growth spurt associated with adolescence.
It helps stimulate bone growth and promotes the maturation of long bones, which can increase your height. However, testosterone is not the only hormone involved in this process; growth hormone (GH) and estrogen also play a significant role in bone growth and development.
Testosterone acts on the growth plates of your bones, which are responsible for lengthening your bones during the growing years. This is why during puberty, when testosterone levels rise, many boys experience significant growth in both height and muscle mass. However, once these growth plates close after puberty, the body no longer increases in height.
At What Age Does Testosterone Affect Height?
Testosterone has a profound effect on height during the pubescent phase, typically roughly between the ages of 9 and 15. During this period, testosterone levels rise significantly, especially in males, leading to accelerated bone growth.
The bone growth plates remain open during this time, allowing the bones to grow longer. However, once these growth plates close—usually around the age of 15-17—height increase is no longer possible, even with increased testosterone levels.
After the growth plates close, testosterone can still influence other aspects of bone health, such as bone density and strength, but it will no longer trigger further growth in height.
Can You Get Taller with Testosterone Therapy?
If you are beyond your growth years and wondering if testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can help you increase your height, the answer is likely “no.” Once your growth plates close, testosterone therapy will not make you taller.
However, suppose you’re still in your growth phase and have been diagnosed with low testosterone levels or constitutional delay of growth and puberty. In that case, testosterone therapy may help trigger growth and development and improve bone density.
For those past the growth phase, TRT can still be beneficial in addressing other aspects of health, such as muscle mass, energy levels, and libido, but it won’t affect your height.
Can You Get Taller with Natural Testosterone Boosts?
There are many natural ways to potentially boost your testosterone levels, such as through exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. While these methods can improve overall health and vitality, they are unlikely to have any impact on your height once your growth plates have closed.
For those still in the growth phase, maintaining healthy testosterone levels is important for maximizing growth potential, but natural testosterone boosters like strength training, high-quality sleep, and a balanced diet will not necessarily trigger a growth spurt.
How much taller can you get with TRT?
According to a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, testosterone therapy seems to speed up the rate of growth during puberty without affecting the patient’s final adult height.
This study looked at how testosterone injections affect growth in boys with Constitutional Delay of Growth and Puberty (CDGP), a condition where boys go through puberty later than usual. Researchers wanted to test if testosterone treatment would help these boys grow taller faster during the first year.
Their process involved observing two groups of boys with CDGP: one group of 10 that received testosterone injections and another group of 13 who did not.
Scientists discovered that boys who received testosterone grew 8.4 cm (3.3 inches) on average in one year, while those without treatment grew 6.1 cm (2.4 inches).
Despite this faster growth during the first year, both groups were expected to reach about the same height as adults. Their conclusion was that for boys with CDGP, testosterone injections can speed up growth in the short term, which might help alleviate some of the emotional stress tied to delayed development without causing long-term physical effects.
Conclusion
Testosterone plays an essential role in growth and development, especially during puberty. For those still in their growth years, testosterone can help increase height by triggering the growth plates to lengthen bones.
Once your growth plates close, however, neither testosterone therapy nor natural testosterone boosts will make you taller. If you’re looking to enhance your height, focusing on maintaining a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep is the best way to support your overall health.
How we reviewed this article:
- Harrison Wein (2013). Understanding How Testosterone Affects Men
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/understanding-how-testosterone-affects-men# - National Research Council (US) and Institute of Medicine (US) Forum on Adolescence (1999). Adolescent Development and the Biology of Puberty: Summary of a Workshop on New Research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK224692/ - Duke Health (2021). Growth Plates: What You Need to Know
https://www.dukehealth.org/blog/growth-plates-what-you-need-know - Dinesh Giri, Prashant Patil, Joanne Blair, Poonam Dharmaraj, Renuka Ramakrishnan, Urmi Das, Mohammed Didi, Senthil Senniappan (2017). Testosterone Therapy Improves the First Year Height Velocity in Adolescent Boys with Constitutional Delay of Growth and Puberty
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556315/
Current Version
November 21, 2024
Written By
John DiBella
Fact-checked By
Dr. Desiree Granados
Editorial Process
Our Editorial Process
John DiBella is the co-founder and CEO at The Sanctuary Wellness Institute. His goal is to foster healthier lifestyles to improve individuals’ quality of life and health span through online medical and non-medical services. When he’s not writing blogs about medical marijuana, he enjoys hiking, camping, surfing and sailing.