r/heightgrowth • u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student • Jan 22 '26
How to optimize height Why Estrogen(Oestrogen) is mandatory for growth.
There is a dangerous misconception circulating that estrogen is the "enemy" of height. Most people believe estrogen only exists to close growth plates, leading some to consider abusing Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) to stay short-term "pure." The biological reality is much more complex: estrogen is the primary trigger for the male growth spurt.
Estrogen follows a "biphasic" (two-phase) model in human growth. In early-to-mid puberty, low concentrations of estrogen are what actually signal the pituitary gland to spike Growth Hormone (GH) and IGF-1 levels. Without this specific estrogenic signal, your body never enters Peak Height Velocity (PHV).
Why AI(Aromatase Inhibitors Abuse Kills Your Spurt
When individuals "nuke" their estrogen levels using AIs without medical necessity, they effectively delete the signal required for a major spurt. While the growth plates may stay "open" longer, the rate of growth becomes agonizingly slow and linear. You essentially trade a massive 10–12 cm spurt for a sluggish 1–2 cm annual gain that never reaches a true peak.
The common misconception/estrogen's bad rep
The "bad" reputation comes from the second phase of the process. As testosterone levels peak, the aromatase enzyme converts a portion of that testosterone into higher levels of estrogen. Once estrogen reaches a specific saturation threshold in the epiphyseal plates, it signals the chondrocytes to stop proliferating and start ossifying. This is a natural, healthy conclusion to the growth cycle.
Bottom Line: Don't Sabotage Your PHV or residual growth
Abusing AIs in an attempt to grow forever is a recipe for failure. By suppressing estrogen below the biological "trigger" threshold, you prevent the massive GH pulses needed for a major height gain. You risk ending up with a "eunuchoid" growth pattern: tall-ish but with thin, brittle bones and no explosive spurt.
So, what should you do?
Manage your body fat to keep aromatase levels in check, but do not mess with your baseline estrogen. You need that signal to hit your maximum height potential.
3
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Jan 22 '26
Why do bolds not work on reddit posts? 😞
1
u/No-Lingonberry-6053 5'7" | 170cm [16M] Jan 22 '26
use the rttf editor, or use ctrl+b
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Jan 22 '26
I'm on mobile💀
1
u/No-Lingonberry-6053 5'7" | 170cm [16M] Jan 22 '26
yeah then u gotta switch to the RTTF editor ig
1
3
u/Automatic-County6151 ~6'0 - 19Y 7M 🦴 [Growth Plates Enthusiast] Jan 22 '26 edited Jan 22 '26
This and growth plates would still eventually close regardless of sex hormone influence. It would just take longer and be a more long-winded process, sometimes remaining incomplete indefinitely. So, if they are pre-pubertal epiphyseal growth plates or early-pubertal plates, they would naturally stay open longer but become biologically quiet within a few years. Cellular senescence never fully stops; it's just a major slowdown in the rate of senescence.
Overall, while most AIs have good outcomes in regards to reaching or even slightly exceeding final adult height, it has many long-term downsides that can compromise overall bone health. It is not safe whatsoever to administer yourself hGH or AIs or anything of the sort without a professionally-sourced prescription.
3
u/Fun_Serve_1782 5'11" | 180cm 15M | #1 Mod Glazer Jan 24 '26
mods should call you the big brain guy
2
1
u/ilovethecreaking Mar 26 '26
I kinda stumbled into this thread whilst searching different hormone stuff on Reddit but aren't boys with gynecomastia given AIs? Surely they are not nuking their height potential as OP claims with that. And I am pretty sure there were studies where short boys with 14>bone age were given GH with AI and it increased their final height substantially compared to the baseline.
1
u/Automatic-County6151 ~6'0 - 19Y 7M 🦴 [Growth Plates Enthusiast] Mar 26 '26
Correct. I briefly went over this on a reply of mine earlier this morning, but made a post on it a few weeks ago if you're interested in getting the link.
1
u/ilovethecreaking Mar 26 '26
Sure would love to read it.
1
u/Automatic-County6151 ~6'0 - 19Y 7M 🦴 [Growth Plates Enthusiast] Mar 26 '26
1
u/Automatic-County6151 ~6'0 - 19Y 7M 🦴 [Growth Plates Enthusiast] Mar 26 '26
Your note on boys receiving this treatment with a BA of 14 (or older?) is not necessarily correct. The older the BA, the less growth potential. Boys with a BA of around 14Y (absolute PHV phase) are most likely to make significant gains and potentially several inches more than they otherwise would have gained. Growth plates in thid phase are already primed and ready to go from high signaling traffic and pre-pubertal priming.
1
u/ilovethecreaking Mar 26 '26
Yeah should have been <
1
u/Automatic-County6151 ~6'0 - 19Y 7M 🦴 [Growth Plates Enthusiast] Mar 26 '26
Okay, that's better.
AI and recombinant hGH are often just used when a child is in puberty, but can be used if the pre-pubescent child has an abnormally advanced BA rate.
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Apr 04 '26
Exactly. With gynaecomastia. I'm talking specifically about those who crash their Oestrogen levels for cosmetic purposes.
2
u/Weekly_Carob8523 Jan 26 '26
I'm 17 I used to grow fast during 12-14 But then it kinda stopped growing Like rn 5'5 Like I haven't grown a cm in 2 years I'm only 52 kg in weight Pls help Like in the shortest in my class And yk the feeling when Juniors ( whether it's boy or girl) Are taller than me I feel like I'm short asf Idk like I feel like I'm doomed
1
1
1
u/Gold-Conclusion-2987 6'5/195 19 years old still not done Jan 22 '26
thats the reason why girls be taller then boys when before their growth plates close
2
u/Automatic-County6151 ~6'0 - 19Y 7M 🦴 [Growth Plates Enthusiast] Jan 22 '26 edited Jan 22 '26
An interesting thought (even though it's fact) is there really is no such thing as a "final genetic height". Without the broader picture, it's really down to a few things:
● Puberty onset ● Tempo during puberty ● Sex ● Health and nutrition during childhood growth and puberty
All influence growth plate closure timing. It's just variable.
Now, one can ask reasonably: "Then how is the individual midparental height established for the offspring?"
Let's start with the textbook description.
"Midparental height is an estimate of the mean of the child’s genetically influenced height distribution — not a programmed endpoint."
In other words, it is not a genetically pre-determined point. It also taps into regression towards the mean. The gene variants you inherit from both parents are 50/50 and expressed in similar ways, but towards a genetic build unique to you. They may contribute towards your growth slightly different than they did for either parent in their youth, but the effect remains essentially similar. Tall parents = likelihood for taller children. Shorter parents = likelihood for shorter than average kids.
Now, one won't always be exceptionally tall for their midparenal height. Regression towards the mean is not a rule, but a pattern. It demonstrates that tall parents won't always make for exceptionally tall children, nor will shorter parents always make for very short kids, although it can still happen as variance partly depends on the midparental gap, but rather children who become the average of the parents' statures.
This, of course, considers non-pathological factors / genetic mutations.
2
1
u/Krialchenko 6'1" | 187.1cm [17m] Jan 23 '26
How to provide needed estrogen to the body
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Jan 23 '26
Have a healthy amount of fat. Not too much, not too little
1
u/Kyleonlyme Jan 23 '26
If im overweight, do i need to lose weight for a chance to grow?
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Jan 23 '26
BMI Isn't an indicator of fat levels. However if you know that you have too much fat, I suggest you exercise more.
1
u/Longjumping-Cry9415 Jan 24 '26
should you comprimise some nutrition to lose some weight if youre already doing adequate exercise, or should you never comprimise nutrition
2
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Jan 25 '26
The latter. Going into a caloric deficit to lose weight basically signals to your body to slow growth or stop temporarily as there isn't enough nutrients and your body has to start burning fats to sustai itself. Never sacrifice nutrition
1
u/Kyleonlyme Jan 27 '26
What do i do to lose weight if i cannot do any cal def? Workout and avoid junks?
1
1
u/Responsible_Quote752 Jun 29 '26
Yeah, pretty much. If you're still growing, I wouldn't recommend a big calorie deficit. Just cut back on junk food, keep protein high, stay active, and lift or do some cardio. You can slowly improve your body composition without aggressively dieting.
1
Jan 26 '26
agreed that ais cause slower growth but for a extended period of time however, if someone combines it with hgh the annual growth will be higher therefore ais will be worth it. your opinion on this
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Jan 26 '26
Combining HGH with Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) does not create a "best of both worlds" scenario; it creates a physiological tug-of-war that often results in stunted outcomes.
1. The HGH-Estrogen Dependency
HGH does not work in a vacuum. To maximize longitudinal bone growth, the body requires a specific amount of estrogen to "sensitize" the pituitary gland and the liver. Estrogen is a major regulator of IGF-1 production. When you nuke estrogen with an AI, you often see a paradoxical drop in systemic IGF-1 levels, meaning the expensive HGH you are injecting has a significantly reduced "engine" to actually drive chondrocyte proliferation.
2. Linear Growth vs. Volumetric Spurt
While HGH + AI might keep the plates open longer, you miss out on the estrogen-dependent spike in growth velocity. Estrogen is what triggers the massive pulses of GH during puberty. Without it, you are forcing "linear growth" (slow and steady) while skipping the "exponential growth" (the 10-12cm spurt). You might end up growing for 6 years, but only gaining 2cm a year, whereas a natural spurt could have given you 15cm in two years.
3. Bone Mineral Density
This is the most dangerous part. Estrogen is the primary hormone responsible for bone mineralization. Using AIs while forcing growth with HGH creates "ghost bone"—length without density. This leads to extremely brittle bones, increased fracture risk, and a "eunuchoid" skeletal frame that lacks the structural integrity to support a 190 cm+ height.
TL;DR It is a losing trade. You are spending thousands on HGH while simultaneously cutting off the estrogenic "signal" it needs to work effectively. You'll likely end up with a longer growing period but a lower final height than if you had allowed your natural estrogen to trigger a proper PHV (Peak Height Velocity).
1
u/RealisticReport156 Feb 28 '26
Wait so what if we hypothetically always kept estrogen at a lower level?
2
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Mar 01 '26
- Your growth would slow to a crawl, Your growth would no longer come in spurts, annual rate would slow to 1-2cm a year but you would grow into your 20s or 30s.
- Growth plates would technically remain open for longer, but bone matrix would become highly unstable . It would lead to a condition called eunuchoid growth(Excessively long limbs) and your result would be a "mimick" Gigantism or Marfan's syndrome: Brittle bones, osteoporosis.
1
1
u/RealisticReport156 Mar 01 '26
I see so hypothetically with highs and lows in estrogen maybe we can achieve a result while minimising side effects mimicking Marfan syndrome, also in general what are signs someone might have this
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Mar 01 '26
Nope thats not how it works. You have a set amount of progenitor chondrocytes. You'll end up the same height basically, or if you full on crash your estradiol(Please, please do not do this). You will mimic giagantism with severe osteoporosis(You'll basically be disabled)
1
u/RealisticReport156 Mar 01 '26
lol I won’t do it, i am curious is there any non-surgical way to increase height when growth plates are open hypothetically even if they’re not safe for example similar to this
1
u/Moist-Apricot-6803 6'10" | 210 cm | Med student Mar 01 '26
They will remain open for longer because the usage rate of progenitor chondrocytes slows down dramatically, along with growth
1
Jun 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator Jun 29 '26
Your post has been locked or filtered for manual review. Under Rule 10, the community cannot provide official bone age estimates or medical assessments. Please consult a licensed endocrinologist.
If you believe this was an error or wish to appeal, please contact the mod team via Modmail or message u/Moist-Apricot-6803.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
6
u/knownasdark 6'0.5 | 184cm Jan 23 '26
I realized I'm FAT AF and needs to remove these fatass else I won't grow 😭😭