Expert: Walter Hintz - 2/16/2008

Question
hello :)

I know this is not the best place to ask this question but ill give it a try. If its not possible to answer my question..i was wondering if you could redirect me to a better subject.
 I have a question i would like to ask of you that concerns to my height. I'm 5'11 feet tall and I'm about to turn 18 in April. Now my question is...HOW CAN I know when my growth plates (epiphyseal plates) will completely STOP growing??. Also.. how can I maximize my height during these (i think) late puberty stages.

The reason I'm asking is because I want to be a wrestler (hopefully), and I would like to grow taller. I know that being tall is not the most important thing and that i shouldn't let it get to me..but I WANT to be taller.

Some facts about me that could possibly help you answer my questions: I'm 5"11 feet tall. I'm turning 18yrs in April 08. Both my parents are Mexican but my father comes from Spanish descent (he's 6'1), and my mother is pure mexican with some spanish (she's around 5'6). I don't know exactly where I'm at with puberty. but I can tell you that...my mustache started to grow about 1/2 year ago and im barely getting little hairs and my beard. My sideburns have NOT GROWN AT ALL. hopefully thats good news that i still have a ways to go through puberty. some acne here and there.

I KNOW that testosterone helps with the increase in height and I'm eating foods that help with both height and testosterone. For example: lots of vegetables, different kinds of nuts,beans, rice, milk(with vitamin D), fish, grains, chicken, fruits (mostly bananas cause of the phosporous), and once in a while a multivitamin.

how can i know when my growth plates (epiphyseal
plates) will stop growing? and how can i maximize my growth during these puberty stages?

I think that's all lol.  

Thankyou so much in advance.

Answer
Hi gerry:
You are almost 18 and an inch short of six feet.  I am not a physician or an expert on growth factors but I believe that you are about as tall as you are going to get.  Growth in males sometimes continues up to the age of 20 but not often.
 Wrestlers compete according to weight so being taller is not necessarily an advantage.
 What can you do? Body form is hereditary; part of your DNA. I suppose you could take Human Growth Hormones to increase size but I am sure no doctor would advise it as HGH is dangerous.
 With regard to the facial hair it is probable that your ancestry is mostly Mayan.  I am a frequent Mexican traveler and I have rarely seen Mexicans with a lot of facial hair.
 You seem to be a well rounded healthy person.  Continue with healthy habits and stop stressing out about growth plates.  If you are still bothered about your growth perhaps a pediatrician can advise you.