A. Our height is determined by the length of the leg bones, the spine, and the skull. While the leg bones and the skull remain pretty much unchanged in length after we reach adulthood, our spinal bones (the vertebrae) tend to shrink.
After age 30, people tend to lose lean tissue. Your muscles, liver, kidney, and other organs may lose some of their cells. This process of muscle loss is called atrophy. Bones may lose some of their minerals and become less dense (a condition called osteopenia in the early stages and osteoporosis in the later stages).
Answer: After age 40, the average person loses about 1/2" of their height per decade. It happens because of gravity and wear and tear on bones, muscles and joints. Think of your skeleton as being made up of your ankles, legs, hips, spine, neck, skull and connective tissue between the joints.
Unfortunately, height can be added to this list. In fact, we can begin shrinking as early as our 30s, according to some research. Men can gradually lose an inch between the ages of 30 to 70, and women can lose about two inches. After the age of 80, it's possible for both men and women to lose another inch.
Do we get shorter as we age? Yes, it is normal to get shorter with age. Starting around age 40, people can lose about up to half of an inch every 10 years. Over the course of your lifetime, this could mean up to 2 inches of height loss for a woman, and up to 1.5 inches for a man.
Early warning signs of osteoporosis include low bone density, bone fractures, lost height, a curved upper back, sudden back pain, gastrointestinal issues, dental problems, and a fracture while pregnant. If you experience these warning signs, speak with your healthcare provider about a bone density test.
“Typically, the discs between the vertebra of the spine lose fluid as we age. The discs get smaller, your spine shrinks, and that's what causes the loss of height.” But maintaining good bone health may have an impact on height – and the things you do to take care of your bones help in your overall state of health.
However, older people suffer height shrinkage during aging. Aging is associated with several physiological and biological changes, including body composition, such as an increase in body fat, a decrease in lean body mass and bone mass.
The biggest changes typically occur when people are in their 40s and 50s, but they can begin as early as the mid-30s and continue into old age. Even when your muscles are in top working order, they contribute to facial aging with repetitive motions that etch lines in your skin.
The long bones of the arms and legs are more brittle because of mineral loss, but they do not change length. This makes the arms and legs look longer when compared with the shortened trunk. The joints become stiffer and less flexible. Fluid in the joints may decrease.
But you can stop yourself from shrinking too much by regularly exercising -- especially weight-bearing exercises like jogging or running, or other activities that work the legs and the hips. A diet rich in vitamin D and calcium also helps -- try almonds, broccoli or kale, or you can take supplements.
After age 30, people tend to lose lean tissue. Your muscles, liver, kidney, and other organs may lose some of their cells. This process of muscle loss is called atrophy. Bones may lose some of their minerals and become less dense (a condition called osteopenia in the early stages and osteoporosis in the later stages).
For example, a man might be half an inch shorter at age 80 than at 35. Or a woman who was once 5 feet, 4 inches might only be 5 feet, 2 inches tall at age 90.
What's happening. With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength, endurance and flexibility — factors that can affect your coordination, stability and balance.
While losing weight technically doesn't make you taller, gaining weight to the point of clinical obesity can make you physically shorter without intervention. Studies have shown that, contrary to traditional belief, obesity can contribute to weakened bone metabolism and structure.
“Red Flags” That Warrant Further Assessment for Osteoporosis or Other Bone Diseases. Low body weight is another important “red flag” signaling the potential for osteoporosis; low body weight is associated with lower BMD and greater bone loss, even in premenopausal women (Bainbridge et al. 2004).
If a person has osteoporosis, they may benefit from taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. A 2016 meta-analysis of osteoporosis studies found that people who took these supplements were 15% less likely to have bone fractures. It is important to include calcium and vitamin D from food sources.
Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is called a “silent” disease” because there are typically no symptoms until a bone is broken. Symptoms of vertebral (spine) fracture include severe back pain, loss of height, or spine malformations such as a stooped or hunched posture (kyphosis).
Loss of bone mass in the jaw reduces the size of the lower face and makes your forehead, nose, and mouth more pronounced. Your nose may also lengthen slightly. The ears may lengthen in some people (probably caused by cartilage growth).
(2) Try this: Girls are half of their adult height at 18 months of age, while boys are half of their adult height at 24 months of age.
However, once the growth plates in the bones close, a person will generally not grow any taller.
Losing a little height as you get older is normal. Over the years, the discs between your spine's vertebrae flatten, your muscles start to lose mass and the spaces between your joints narrow.