What Really Happens To Your Body When You Are Tall

Thanks to advancements in medical research, scientists have learned that height isn't merely a measure of how tall someone stands. Instead, it has turned out to be a multifaceted indicator closely tied to a person's health. According to a study published in Nutrition Reviews, a mix of genetics, lifestyle, and even diseases determines how tall you'll be as you grow from kid to adult. Genes, the instructions in your DNA, play the biggest role, controlling about 80% of your final height (via Medical News Today). Take Barron Trump, for example, whose towering stature of 6 feet 6 inches at only 14 years old never fails to draw public attention. This can somewhat be explained by his parents' height. His father, former President Trump, stands at 6 feet 3 inches, while his mother, Melania Trump, stands at 5 feet 11 inches (via Nicki Swift).

But genes aren't the only players; they are only the most prominent internal factor at play. Nutrition is the most important external factor, seeing that it not only directly influences growth and development but is also closely tied to disease prevention; by preventing disease, a growing person avoids the nutrient loss that may hinder growth. Moreover, height can act as a variable in screening for certain health conditions. Still, evidence also suggests a potential protective effect against other conditions. In any case, the study emphasizes the role of height as a determinant of adult health. This article looks at the potential good and bad things that can happen to your body when you're tall.

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that often appear blue or purple and can be seen just under the surface of the skin, usually in the legs (via the Mayo Clinic). They develop because veins in the legs need to work against gravity to return blood to the heart. Yet, weak or damaged valves within the veins can cause blood to flow backward, leading to bulging veins. According to an article published in Circulation, varicose veins are a common part of chronic venous disease (which affects about 23% of adults in the U.S.) and include various vein anomalies such as spider telangiectasias and reticular veins. While some disregard varicose veins as a cosmetic issue, the costs of treating their complications, such as chronic venous ulcers, place a significant burden on healthcare resources, and even without said complications, varicose veins can markedly worsen one's quality of life.

While traditional risk factors for varicose veins include being female, having multiple pregnancies, obesity, constipation, a history of blood clots, prolonged standing, smoking, and high blood iron levels, recent studies have identified height as a potential new risk factor for the development and severity of varicose veins (via the National Library of Medicine (NLM)). Namely, a study of 400,000 people conducted by Stanford University School of Medicine found that taller people are more prone to developing varicose veins. While the link is still unknown, researchers attribute the association to genetics (via Standford Medicine News Center).

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that happens when the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord (known as peripheral nerves) become damaged (via the Mayo Clinic). The damage can be the result of numerous factors, including uncontrolled blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies (namely vitamin B-12), infections like Lyme disease and HIV, kidney, liver, or thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, exposure to toxins, repetitive motions, and a family history of nerve disorders.

Yet, evidence suggests that height can be a significant predictor of peripheral insensate neuropathy, a type of peripheral neuropathy affecting sensory nerves defined by the presence of one or more areas lacking sensation. As explained by a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, the length of the nerve fibers increases alongside height. Therefore, having longer nerves means there is an increased surface area that can be exposed to toxins or damage. According to the study's results, the risk increases for men taller than 5 feet 6 inches and women taller than 5 feet 3 inches. However, other analyses set the bar at 5 feet 9 inches.

Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory condition that affects the bone and its surrounding structures due to an infection with bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms, and research has suggested a potential link between increased height and the risk of developing it, as stated in a study published in Plos Genetics. Per the NLM, these infections can occur through various means, including spreading through the bloodstream, surgical procedures, or fractures, and they tend to affect larger bones in children but smaller bones (e.g., the vertebrae) in adults.

Certain factors, such as having an artificial joint, blood infections, diabetes, metal implants in bones, bedsores, recent bone fractures or surgeries, traumatic injuries, or a weakened immune system, can increase the risk of osteomyelitis (via the Cleveland Clinic), and its treatment can range from the simple use of antibiotics or antifungals to bone surgery to clean the affected area. While the exact association between height and bone infections remains uncertain, osteomyelitis is often linked with vascular problems (via the NLM), a series of conditions that taller individuals may be more prone to. However, further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between height and the risk of developing such infections.

A study published in Medicine examining nearly 13,000 men and women has revealed intriguing insights into the relationship between height and high blood pressure, an association that was first noted in the 1950s but whose cause still remained largely unknown. The study found that starting in their 40s, shorter people tend to have higher systolic blood pressure (the first number of blood pressure readings) compared to taller people, and that the difference became more noticeable as people got older. This association might be caused because shorter people may have hemodynamic challenges (aka blood flow-related issues) that taller people don't.

On the one hand, shorter people may have smaller heart artery diameters, which directly affects blood pressure. On the other hand, arteries in shorter people tend to become stiffer earlier in life. This is explained by the fact that substances in the body that help with growth, like insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), play a role in arterial health by stimulating elastin production in the aorta (one of your main blood vessels). Elastin is a protein that helps maintain artery flexibility. Thus, lower IGF-1 levels could lead to reduced elastin levels and stiffer arteries, potentially contributing to high blood pressure in shorter individuals.

When it comes to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), being taller could play a protective role, as research has shown that shorter adults tend to face higher risks of T2D compared to their taller counterparts. For instance, a study published in Diabetologia involving over 27,000 people found that for every 10 centimeters of height difference, the risk of T2D decreased by more than 30%. The reasons behind this association aren't entirely clear. However, researchers have observed that taller people often have greater insulin sensitivity, the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. Additionally, they tend to have more efficient beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin. These factors contribute to better blood sugar control and a reduced risk of developing diabetes.

On the other hand, the study notes that a person's height may reflect their early childhood experiences, which are known to impact their risk of developing diabetes later in life. This concept aligns with the Barker Hypothesis, which suggests that poor nutrition during pregnancy and low birth weight (both often associated with shorter stature) can lead to various metabolic issues in adulthood, including diabetes, insulin insensitivity, and heart disease, per an article published in the Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation.