Fact or Fiction That You Lose Height as You Age?
Without question, adults typically shrink with advancing age.
From age 40 onward, individuals commonly shed about a centimeter each decade. Males see a yearly decrease in height of 0.08-0.1%. Women often experience between 0.12% and 0.14% yearly.
Factors Contributing to Height Loss
Part of this decrease stems from increasingly slumped posture with aging. Individuals who adopt a hunched back posture over long durations – maybe at their workstation – might notice their posture naturally assumes to that position.
Everyone loses some height from start to end of day when gravitational force squeezes water from intervertebral discs.
Physical Changes Behind Height Reduction
The change in our stature takes place gradually.
Between ages 30-35, growth ceases as our structural tissues begin to diminish. The vertebral discs between our vertebrae shed water and begin shrinking.
The porous interior in vertebrae, pelvis and lower limbs loses density. During this process, skeletal tissue condenses marginally reducing length.
Decreased muscle further impacts vertical measurement: bones maintain their form and size by muscular pressure.
Can We Prevent Shrinking?
While this process isn't stoppable, the progression can be delayed.
Eating foods high in calcium and D vitamins, performing routine resistance training and reducing smoking and drinking from younger adulthood can decrease the decline of skeletal and muscular tissue.
Maintaining proper posture also provides protection of height reduction.
Is Getting Shorter Concerning?
Losing some height isn't necessarily harmful.
But, considerable skeletal and muscular decline as we grow older links to chronic health conditions such as heart complications, brittle bones, osteoarthritis, and mobility challenges.
Thus, it's worthwhile to adopt safeguarding habits to support bone and muscle health.
