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Heightmaxxing: The Overpromised Science of Growth Enhancement in Adolescents?
Disclaimer: This thread is intended solely for educational purposes. It does not provide medical advice, diagnostic guidance, or treatment recommendations of any kind. Any concerns regarding growth or health should be addressed exclusively with a licensed medical professional.
Overview
Disclaimer: This thread is intended solely for educational purposes. It does not provide medical advice, diagnostic guidance, or treatment recommendations of any kind. Any concerns regarding growth or health should be addressed exclusively with a licensed medical professional.
Overview
Introduction: The Emergence of Heightmaxxing
The Promise Vs. The Reality of Human Growth
The truth is, many on here fail to realize that the processes behind human growth are extremely complex and are governed by thousands upon thousands of genes, hormones, and signaling cascades. If you approach Heightmaxxing as a highly controllable process, then you'll ultimately never satisfy your needs. As it creates unrealistic expectations, with some specimens genuinely believing they can go from 5'6 to 6'3 in a year, JFL. Height isn't a flexible variable, medical literature consistently shows height outcomes are largely predetermined within a genetic ceiling. Yes, it's influenced by factors such as nutrition, metabolic health, and the highlight of this thread, exogenous hormones. But the reality is far more nuanced than what is typically presented on this forum. So let's set the facts straight, your height can never be extended beyond its genetic potential, only fully reached.
Sources:
Human Height: A Model Common Complex Trait - PMC
Human height is a reflection of a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Indeed, multiple aspects of diet and lifestyle have a significant impact on determining one’s height. However, some aspects of height determination are encoded in ...pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Human Growth Hormone: The Miracle drug or An Overhyped Fad?
Firstly, If you haven't heard of Human Growth Hormone (Which I really doubt), I highly recommened you check this amazing thread by @Zagro , It has everything you need to know. Otherwise, If you've spent more than a day on this forum, you'd have certaintly heard of Human Growth Hormone (or HGH for short). It's often presented as the miracle drug, an elixir from master himself. To give a brief explanation on it's mechanisms, HGH works by binding to Growth Hormone Receptors (GHRs) on target cells, and causing phosphorlyation of JAK2, which in turn phosphorlyates STAT5B. It also increases the production of IGF-1 through IGF-1R which mediates most of it's effects on cell growth, profileration and synthesis. Which in theory this is quite convincing, right? However, when you look at the studies, you will quickly see the metrics don't line up. Espically if you're perfectly healthy.
Evidence
take a look at Study A for example. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectivness of HGH therapy in Idopathic Short Stature N = 122 (The reason we use ISS is because it's likely the closest we'll get to HGH treatment in healthy people). The mean age was 10 years old, with a BA <10. Children were treated using 0.33mg/kg/week of HGH/day (the FDA approved dose), which translates to 8.5IU/day for a 60kg child! After a year of treatment the results observed were: A significant increase in growth velocity, normal advancement of BA, with 66% of participants experiencing a change in Predicted Adult Height (mean of 4-6cm). From this we can draw, HGH works, obviously nobody doubted that. But the scale at which growth increased does not match the expectations of many on this forum, and the doses used to achieve said results is Definitely not in line with many's expectations. JFL at copers who think 2-4IU's/day is Sufficient.
Reality
To sum it up, most information surrounding HGH is heavily oversimplified, and the reality is far more complex that what is usally shown here. Yeah HGH works, however the dosages, age requirements, time and other factors required to reach said results, are way out of touch with mosts expectations. If you took a look at the studies below, then you'd realise nearly half of the particpants didn't respond despite having a BA <10. What makes you believe your the outlier? It's just something you really should be considering, because at the end of the day no two people are the same, what may work for someone else, might be utterly useless for you. It's so funny to me how some people actually believe Growth Hormone will make them grow 4 inches in a year, because of "muh supraphysiological dose", despite no evidence to back it up. Meta analyses of Idopathic Short Stature, usually agree that the average achieved result of multiple, continuous years of HGH therapy is 3.5 - 7.5cm, and Study C below further supports that. Lastly, no, please don't cycle HGH if your goal is height. That is simply far from optimal and there's no reason to do so in the first place, considering there's studies showing long term use is tolerable. In short, Sustained use > short cycles.
Sources:
Validate User
jamanetwork.com
Growth hormone significantly increases the adult height of children with idiopathic short stature: comparison of subgroups and benefit - PMC
Children with Idiopathic Short Stature do not attain a normal adult height. The improvement of adult height with treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), at doses of 0.16 to 0.28 mg/kg/week is modest, usually less that 4 cm, and they ...
HGH 101: Everything You Need to Know
Thread Song: Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. The use of substances like HGH, Testosterone, and Aromasin carries potential risks and should be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Always consult with a doctor before starting any cycle, and be...looksmax.org
Aromatase Inhibitors, the Key To Growing Forever?
Aromatase Inhibitors have undoubtedly gained an enormous amount of attention within this community, due to studies showing their effectiveness at slowing down epiphyseal closure. They do this by inhibiting the conversion of Testosterone to Estrogen (17-Beta-Estradiol or just Estradiol for short), through the Aromatase Enzyme And this is important because Estrogen closes growth plates by binding to estrogen receptor alpha on chondrocytes, pushing them to mature faster while depleting the reserve of stem-like cells that keep the plates active. However, AIs, at least when used alone, might not be as effective as many people think. Yes, studies proving their effiency exist, that I can't deny. But the extent at which they delay plate closure might just be overblown, with many people misinterpreting them as the "key" to growing forever. However that is simply not the case, and newer studies might just prove that.
Evidence
For example, Study A, evaluted the combined use of aromatase inhibitors and HGH in Idiopathic Short Stature, in adolescents with a bone age >13. After 6 years of treatment, growth velocity and final height increased most in the AI + HGH group (6 to 9 cm) vs HGH alone. So why do i bring this up you may ask? Because if you look only at one source then it is extremely easy to be mislead, coming up with a conclusion requires you to check as many sources as possible. Which is why in Study B, Anastrozole (1.0mg/day) and Letrozole (2.5mg/day) were used to augment height in 79 pubertal boys, BA >10, with ISS. After 3 years of treatment, PAH increased by 1.3cm vs baseline, minimal at most. But why'd this happen, the previous study showed significant change? this gets into my next point below.
Reality
Aromatase inhibitors primary function is to delay plate closure, increasing height is an indirect effect of blocking estrogen. This should be common knowledge by now, but their seems to be misconceptions surrounding them. We can likely draw from these studies they work best when used with HGH, not alone. Also another point I wanted to bring up is that i've seen lots of people use them EOD, but that simply isn't optimal. I understand not wanting to oversupress estrogen, but ED mogs in every single way, espically for height. Why? Because EOD causes fluctuations and spikes in estrogen between, remember the aromatase enzyme isn't your body's only way of making estrogen. Other enzymes such as 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) and Steroid Sulfatase (STS), often compensate by upregulating estrogen production. Lastly I want to point out, that many studies, such as study C below, show bone maturation effects are more prominent with consistent use. And the delay effect is around 35-40% vs placebo across many studies, effective yes, but not the key to growing forever JFL . So if you were planning to "cycle" AIs, that likely isn't going to deliever the best results for you.
Sources:
Validate User
academic.oup.com
Anastrozole vs Letrozole to Augment Height in Pubertal Males With Idiopathic Short Stature: A 3-Year Randomized Trial - PubMed
Letrozole caused greater deviations than anastrozole in hormone levels, growth velocity, and BA advancement, but no group differences in PAH or side effects were found. Change in PAH after 2 to 3 years of treatment was minimal. The efficacy of AI as monotherapy for height augmentation in...pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Anastrozole Increases Predicted Adult Height of Short Adolescent Males Treated with Growth Hormone: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Trial for One to Three Years - PMC
Context: The process of epiphyseal fusion during puberty is regulated by estrogen, even in males. Objective: Our objective was to investigate whether anastrozole, a potent aromatase inhibitor, could delay bone age acceleration and increase predicted ...AROMATASE INHIBITORS – FULL GUIDE FOR HEIGHTMAXXING, PUBERTY DELAY & ESTROGEN CONTROL
When it comes to heightmaxxing people always recommend the combination of HGH and an AI but what even are Aromatase Inhibitors? This guide will teach you everything you need to know about Aromatase inhibitors! read this guide if you want to gain knowledge about HGH →...
The Thyroid Axis, The hidden Gas Pedal To Growth?
It feels like everyday you see more and more normies jumping to incorportate Thyroid Hormones, Specifically Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4), into their "height growth stacks". And it seems to make sense, espically when you consider the mechanisms behind it. Thyroid Hormones bind to their receptors (TRα/TRβ), in target cells and modulate gene transcription effecting cell profileration, differentiation and of course growth. They also enhance IGF-1 signaling, making cells more responsive. With all these reasons, it'd be silly not include Thyroid Hormones, right? Unfortunately tinkering with the thyroid is extremely risky, and taking them exogenously might actually be harming your final height, rather than improving it. Heres why.
Evidence
In Study A, we can clearly see L-thyroxine treatment in children with Hypothyrodisim (an underactive thyroid) had significantly improved growth velocity, and adult heights. So what is the problem you ask? Well opposing studies (such as Study B) in Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) Indicate that excess amounts of thyroid hormones contribute to bone loss, increased rates for osteoporosis, reduced final height, and increased growth velocity.
Reality
What this means is that Thyroid Hormones significantly accelerate the rate at which growth happens, but in doing so it also increases the rate at which bones mature. Which if taken too far, ultimately reduces adult height. This shows that a delicate balance is required for the thyroid to work in optimal conditions and support growth. Which is why exogenous sources simply do not seem optimal for the goal of height. Unless you're checking your bloods frequently, thyroid hormones aren't worth the risk. If you'd like to learn more about the thyroid, their is a really amazing thread by @enchanted_elixir, in the sources tab which you can check for yourself.
Sources:
This Hormone "SPEEDS UP" Height Growth. (HOW TO GET HEIGHTMAXING RESULTS MUCH QUICKER)
🔥What if I told you that there's a hormone that accelerates height growth? What if I told you that this hormone can make you achieve what would usually take 2 months in 3 weeks when it comes to heightmaxing? *The statement above is an example to illustrate my point, not a scientific fact...Does clinical management impact height potential in children with severe acquired hypothyroidism? - PubMed
Neither time to euthyroidism nor use of GPTs significantly affected height potential in our patients.
Peptide Dilemma: The Secret Alternatives To HGH?
Peptides (short chains of amino acids), Have recently began to explode in popularity, mainly amongst titokcels. Making me feel inclined to talk about them, considering the looksmaxing section is now being plagued with questions about peptides. And it makes sense considering their being marketed as the superior alternatives to HGH, but is this hype even warranted? And well the answer is, no, not even close, JFL. Truth is, There's absolutely NO clincal evidence to support them, so why would you even consider their use? Let alone believe their better than HGH, which has decades more research and proven efficieny behind it. I genuienly can't fathom how they got so popular in the first place, it's actually so funny to me. Anyways, let's debunk the claims made about (Mainly GHRPs, CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin), using ACTUAL clincal evidence.
Evidence
In Study A we have one of the few documented uses of peptides for the purpose of height. Six pre-pubertal children with GHD, were treated with GHRP-2 over the duration of 8 months. Doses began stepwise at 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 micrograms/kg/day each for a two month period. and the results? GHRP-2 produced a dose-dependent response and increased growth velocity (NOT predicted adult height) compared to pre and post treatment periods. Also, no adverse effects or toxicities were observed. What this means is that GHRPs, while not inherently dangerous (according to the data we have), Do NOT increase your final adult height. Rather they help you achieve it faster. Also it's important to note that serum levels of IGF-1 did not increase during treatment.
Reality
Additionally, to clear up some common misconceptions with peptides, some people genuinely seem to believe pulsatile spikes of GH are superior to constant exogenous stimulation. Peptides work by stimulating the HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis) to increase endogenous output of a target hormone (in this case HGH). While yes, this process mimics natural pulsatile secretion, it is undoubtly inferior to exogenous HGH. Because the constant stimulation provides continuous IGF-1 synthesis, and increased formation of IGF-1/IGFBP-3/ALS ternary complexes, overall prolonging IGF-1 half-life and bioavailability. Even the Study cited suggests the same idea. "Formulations or routes of administration that allow for a longer duration of action will likely be needed to use GHRP-2 in therapy." Meaning the main limiting factor of peptides in growth is likely due to the fact they provide pulsatile secretions, contradicting what many claim, exactly why HGH should be preferred for height. Not to mention constant use of Peptides desensitize and downregulate receptors overtime. Overall, peptides lack any meaningful clincal literature to justify their use. Finally i'd like to mention another really great thread by @SlayerJonas which goes more in depth into certain aspects I didn't touch. I 100% recommend checking it out.
Sources:
Effects of eight months treatment with graded doses of a growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide in GH-deficient children - PubMed
Stimulation of pituitary GH secretion with administered GHRH can be effective therapy for those GH deficient (GHD) patients whose disorder results from insufficient endogenous GHRH secretion. We have previously shown that most such patients also respond acutely to the GH-releasing peptides...Growth Outcomes and Final Height in Children with Acquired Hypothyroidism: A Systematic Review - PubMed
This review highlights the necessity of both early diagnosis and treatment of acquired hypothyroidism. Even if many children show improvements in height velocity post-treatment, the complete normalization of growth may remain elusive.The truth about steroids and peptides affecting bones/height
There are multiple flaws in the logic behind peptides and AAS remodelling and/or growing facial bones. I covered some of these flaws in this thread already, consider this the complete overview. To be specific, this isn't an anti-roiding thread. Roiding should be done if desiring a body halo...
Medical Oversight Vs. Online Narratives
When determening whether or not heightmaxxing procedures are even worth your time, there is an overwhelming amount of requirments that many choose to simply ignore. TLDR, if you do not meet these requirments then unfortunately, it's very likely you're wasting your time. Here are the requirements you must check, before beginning any sort of "stack":
First, before planning anything you MUST be aware of your bone age. This is typically done by taking an X-ray of the Hand - Wrist, and using standardized tests such as Greulich-Pyle atlas or the Tanner - Whitehouse (TW3) method. But why is this important you may ask? Because doctors usually prescribe those with a BA <14. No, this isn't fearmongering, the reason as to why this is so important is because as we age, we naturally lose Chondroprogenitors and Osteoprogenitors (the cells responsible for making up the stem cell resevoir, and differentiating into the cells needed for responding to Hormonal signals). Less cells mean Less effect. If you're not checking your BA before hand, then you could be very well wasting your time. If you'd like to find out more about BA, I highly recommend you check the thread below by @Orka It has everything you need to know.
Another essential precaution to take beforehand is blood work. Honestly, If you're not checking your bloods before beginning any sort of drugs, you have no place starting them in the first place. Obviously everyone is free to do what they want, but this is easily the smartest approach. Without bloodwork you cannot know whether the medication your using is boof or not, you can't check hormonal levels (Absolutely key, especially for estorgen), Dosages are a guess: you literally can't find the ideal dose for you, metabolic health is unknown so things such as cardiovascular health; Insulin resistance; Lipids; Liver strain; Electrolyte imbalances, and countless more factors too. Not getting bloodwork beforehand, and post cycle, is probably the dumbest thing you can do.
The next equally important factor, is very simply, money. Look, this may sound silly, but you'll have to hear me out. You need a consistent income of money before you can even day dream of buying said medictations. for example, lets imagine you've finally saved up all your money to buy HGH, but to your dismay you forgot to buy the syringes. this might sound ridiculous, but the point still stands. Without money you cannot invest into the long term commitment required for something such as this. The truth nobody wants to hear is results don't come quick, nor cheap. Think of money as the foundation before you can even start planning out your ideas. So you better get jobmaxxing boyo.
The last and arguably the most important factor is understanding your genetic capability. I've stated this numerous times already, But if it hasn't been clear your genes ultimately decide the outcome. Despite how many drugs you may reach to take, the end point is sadly the same. Biology has placed certain limits that we just can't pass (yet). However to avoid dissatisfaction, figuring out your genetic limits beforehand will greatly save you lots of trouble and effort. You can do this by using the Mid-Parental Height Formula. (Parents Height + 5 inches divided by two). It's not perfect, but it certainly is a start.
Sources:
The Radiology behind Facial Development & Bodily Growth Indicators; How to tell if you’re still growing.
The Radiology behind Facial Development & Bodily Growth Indicators By @Orka I've seen at least 50 questions asking if somebody's growth plates are still open or not, or to estimate their bone age,so to make it easy, here's how you can answer your own questions! Table Of Contents (easiest...
Risks, Side Effects, and Long - Term Unknowns
Anecdotes, Misinformation, and the Illusion of Success
It's extremely easy for your views to become shrouded with fact vs fiction, when you consider most of the information related to this topic, is anecdotal. Yes, you can argue anecdotes are the accounts we have of people using a variety of different chemicals on themselves. However, it's impossible to use an anecdote to generalize the rest of the population, that would be highly illogical and a hasty generalization. What many fail to understand is that everybody responds differently. Countless factors dictate your situation whether that's BA, dosage, hormonal profile and of course, genetic ceilings. Relying on anecdotes creates a survivorship bias, as failed attempts are rarely documentated, while succesful ones are stickied for everyone to see. Which in turn creates the narrative you see to day, an illusion of constant success. Even if you're able to consider anecdotes viable, the two examples provided below show you should always take these things lighly.
In the first thread by @Stacyslayerᛉ He's given a detailed report at his results with heightmaxxing across the past 3 months (If you haven't already, I really recommened checking his thread). After 3 months of using HGH, an AI and BPC-157 (more recently), He's apparently grown 5cm's (2in's) in 93 days. That is a very significant jump, and both were measured in the morning. That said, we have to note that according to him, his bone age is approximately 14.75, despite being 16. So if your bone ages is higher, don't expect the same results. To add on, it's very likely some of his results could be unintentionally frauded, despite being measured in the morning. Mostly due to extra cartillage hydration, Intervertebral disc expansion and fascia strengthening from HGH.Heightmaxxing Update V - Keeping up the Progress + new Compound. (3 months in/93 Days)
HEIGHTMAXXING CYCLE UPDATE – 1.5 MONTHS LATER Hey guys, its been 1 and a half months again, so yeah heres an updated cycle update, what happened and my Height progress. Current Protocol: From the last update on i have had no breaks or interruptions, so heres my Daily protocol. 1mg...
In the second anecdote, by @renos (another really amazing thread, i highly recommened you check it out). We can see that unfortunately not everybody gets so lucky. Across 5 months he injected a total of 600IU's of HGH. and the results? He started at 169-170cm and stopped growing at 172cm, making his final height 172cm. In fact before starting he got an xray, which revealed 98.9% of his growth was already complete. This further solidifies my earlier point, HGH only ensures you reach your genetic capability, not surpass it.HGH JOURNEY #4 THE END - BACK IN REALITY
Welcome to my Thread; HGH JOURNEY #4 THE END - BACK IN REALITY If you want parts more detailed, read my previous threads: Over the last 5 months I injected around 600 IU of HGH. Here is my experience. MY X-RAY Around 10 months ago I got an X-ray of my hand. The doctor said my radial...
Conclusion: Seperating Evidence From Expectation
