Does Bodybuilding Stunt Your Growth?
I know this may sound ridiculous as it does to me too but, recently a friend of mine commented on how bodybuilders who start at an early age (men in their teens) stunt their growth. Granted she really had no scientific data to back up her claims, except to say her own father who had started weight training at an early age, stopped growing to the height that genetically he should have been disposed. I, myself have never heard of such a thing (and frankly it sounds like crock to me) as I am a believer in genetics playing a key role in determining height growth. So how could it be possible that weight training interfere with the genetic process? Can anyone shed light on this?
May 21, 2007 at 9:04 am
you sed it yourself theres no scientific answer behind this just another myth like steroids make your manhood small it really is people who are insecure about themselfs blaming something else and not genetics, you are what you are, when bodybuilding and taking proper nutrition, etc good food, protein, amino acids these are key factors of height growth and muscle growth so no bodybuilding shall not stunt your growth but help you boost you too reach your genetic limit
June 1, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I would say that bodybuilding may actually have a positive effect on growth, because when you lift weights, your body releases growth hormone, and if your growth plates are not fully matured it could possibly cause you to grow. However, if you have already reached your genetic potential for growth, and your growth plates have closed off then your growth hormone will not effect them. That is just my theory tho, becuase I started lifting during childhood and I am only 5′ 7" now at the age of 20, but my mom is 5′ 2" and my dad is 5′ 11" so it seems genetically reasonable to me. I think lazy people say it stunts growth, because they want an excuse for not exercising.
June 1, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Thank you both for shedding light on this. Since writing this, I ran a search on google and found this article on about.com: http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/bodybuildingfaq/f/stuntgrowth.htm and frankly I think it does a great job of dispelling the myth.