We all know that a person's height grows only till the age of 18 to 20 years. After this the height becomes stable. But when people grow old, we often see that despite being tall, they start looking short. There can be many reasons behind this.
When does the process of height reduction start?
According to a report by Live Science, at the age of 40 to 50, the formation of bones in the body stops and the density of bones also starts decreasing. When the width and length of the bones decrease, the body starts bending.
According to a report, between the ages of 30 and 70, the height of men decreases by 1.2 inches and that of women by 2 inches. This report is based on a study conducted on 2084 people.
role of the spinal cord
The human spine is made up of 24 bones and the intervertebral discs between them. These discs absorb shock and are filled with fluid. When you are young, these discs are flexible and filled with fluid, which helps maintain height.
As age increases, the amount of fluid in these discs decreases, which causes the spinal cord to lose length. This process happens slowly, but with age its effect starts showing in the length as well.
Decreased bone density and length
Apart from the spine, bone density also decreases with age. This process accelerates especially in women after menopause, when the level of estrogen hormone decreases. Due to the decrease in bone density, the bones become weak and shrink, leading to a decrease in height. Thus, the decrease in body height with age is a normal process, which is due to the condition of bone density and spine.