Creatine is a famous supplement athlete and bodybuilders use to enhance performance and build muscle mass. However, there is a common belief that creatine can also increase height.
There’s a catch for those who ask, “does creatine make you taller” and that is the consumer’s age.
This article will explore the truth behind this claim and examine the scientific evidence to determine if creatine can make you taller.
Does Creatine Make You Taller?
Creatine can not make you taller if you’re a grown adult. But it can help your muscle growth if you’re a growing teenage athlete.
Athletes and bodybuilders have used creatine supplements for decades to enhance performance and improve recovery time.
However, scientific evidence does not support the claim that creatine can make you taller. The idea that creatine can increase height may stem from the fact that it can increase muscle mass and overall body weight.
There is another misconception that creatine can enhance your libido or penial growth. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims.
The increase in height observed is not due to an actual increase in the length of the bones but rather due to an increase in the size of the muscles.
The height of an individual is determined by genetics and is largely set by the time they reach adulthood.
While some people can experience a slight increase in height during their teenage years, this is due to growth spurts, and creatine supplementation can help increase the height a little more.
Does Creatine and L Carnitine have a similar impact on muscle growth?
Height Increase with Creatine Intake Among Teens: A Possibility
Until 2019, various journals and physicians were against teens taking creatine supplements for performance enhancement.
However, in 2020 a few medical studies published data supporting the positive relationship between creatine supplements and the height increase of teen athletes.
In 2021, a study was conducted among 4291 individuals aged 2-19. Researchers monitored their creatine intake with daily food consumption and their height. All of them had taken 3.88g/kg creatine daily.
The observation concluded that 0.1g of creatine consumption per day increased height to 0.60 cm among the subjects.
Now that we have the evidence supporting creatine intake for teenagers. Let’s discuss the safety precautions for creatine intake for them.
Administer Creatine Intake For Teenagers
If you’re a teenager or a parent administering creatine for your teenager, make sure of the following:
- Ensure the teenager is physically active in intense exercise.
- Creatine requires a high water intake. Ensure daily at least 2 liters of water.
- Incorporate electrolyte-rich drinks in your water intake.
- Generally, eating meat or other creatine alternatives will ensure the necessary creatine intake. But if the teenager is vegan or vegetarian, they should only take creatine supplements.
- Start with 2-10g of creatine per day.
To determine if creatine can make you taller, it is important to understand how the human body grows. The length of their bones determines the height of an individual, and the more active a teenager is, the more their bone will grow.
However, after reaching maturity, there is little to no possibility of your bones growing further.
Does Exercise Make You Taller?
Compression of the spine due to a sedentary lifestyle can make you look shorter. So when you start exercising, some exercises like dead hang can really decompress your spine.
After 30 seconds to a minute of dead hang, you’ll notice yourself ¼ to 2 inches taller. Make sure to consult with a professional trainer before you start the exercise.
Side Effects of Creatine
It is also important to note that excessive use of creatine supplements can have adverse side effects, including weight gain, dehydration, and digestive problems.
However, there’s no need to be alarmed by the side effects as they subside within a few weeks as the body adjusts to the creatine intake.
Don’t get stressed by hearing about the impact of creatine on PCOS or creatine-induced Gynecomastia.
While creatine is considered safe for most individuals when used as directed, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.
FAQ
Does Creatine Increase Your Height During Teenage?
Creatine can positively impact the growth of teenagers. A regular intake of 3.88g creatine for each KG of body weight can expedite the overall development, including height. And non-creatine takers generally grow less than their counterparts.
Conclusion
The claim that creatine can make you taller is not supported by scientific evidence for adults. The height of an individual is determined by genetics and the length of their bones and cannot be increased through supplementation.
However, for physically active teenagers, creatine can really help with height during the growth spurt stage. As with any supplement, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional before starting a regimen.
And take supplements as directed to minimize the risk of adverse side effects. Review our blogs to know more.
I started my professional career as a sports medicine consultant in Rola, Missouri. My primary role was to suggest suitable supplements for my patients according to their pre-existing conditions and lifestyle goals. I believe a healthy lifestyle is the most important if you want to make your life really meaningfull.
