Coffee stunts your growth
No scientific evidence supports the claim that coffee or caffeine stunts height growth in children or adolescents. The myth likely originated from early concerns about caffeine and calcium absorption, which have not been confirmed as significant at typical dietary levels.
What we know
The belief that coffee stunts growth appears to have stemmed from older concerns about caffeine's effects on calcium absorption and bone density. Some research suggested that caffeine increases urinary calcium excretion, leading to speculation that this could impair bone development and height in young people. However, these effects were found to be small and easily offset by normal dietary calcium intake.
Harvard Health has stated that there is 'no scientifically valid evidence to suggest that coffee can stunt a person's growth.' Studies that appeared to link coffee to shorter stature in children were often confounded by other dietary factors, such as coffee drinkers consuming less milk and other calcium-rich beverages, rather than coffee directly affecting growth.
Height is determined primarily by genetics, with significant contributions from overall nutrition, sleep quality, and general health during the growth years. Caffeine does not act on growth hormone, growth plates (epiphyseal plates), or bone formation in ways that would impair linear height growth at typical dietary doses.
That said, caffeine consumption in children and adolescents is not without concern for other reasons, including effects on sleep (which is important for growth hormone release), cardiovascular stimulation, and anxiety. WebMD notes that any indirect effect of coffee on growth would most plausibly be mediated through sleep disruption rather than any direct effect on growth mechanisms.
Common claims
- Drinking coffee as a child will make you shorterNo evidence for this claim
- Caffeine blocks calcium absorption and stunts bone growthEffect is minimal at typical intake levels
- This is why children and teens should never drink coffeeOther concerns exist but not stunted growth
- Studies have proven coffee shortens heightConfounded studies; causal link not established