Who knew that mastering amino acid intake and general nutrition could help you grow taller—right through your spine?
You can lengthen your spine at any age, and here’s how:
Anatomy of the Spine for Better Understanding
If you’ve ever looked at a picture of the spine, you’ll notice it is composed of 24 vertebrae (bones). Nestled between each vertebra are intervertebral discs—cartilage-based structures that act like cushions and account for 25–33% of spinal length, and roughly 10–16.5% of your overall height.
There are 22 intervertebral discs in total. If each disc grew just 1 mm thicker, you would gain 2.2 cm (nearly 1 inch) in spinal height. That’s not an unrealistic goal—these discs are made of cartilage, which is far easier to influence than bone.
You can visualize these discs like sponges. Their shape changes when compressed or decompressed. That’s why you’re taller in the morning than at night, or why astronauts gain up to 5 cm (2 inches) in space when freed from gravity. The catch? These gains aren’t permanent because while their discs decompress, they don’t actually grow in size. But with the right strategies, you can target true permanent growth.
Mastering Amino Acid Intake
One of the major reasons astronauts (and most people) don’t maintain long-term gains is because they don’t optimize their amino acid intake.
Cartilage is composed of 60–70% collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body. Collagen itself is mainly built from four amino acids:
- Glycine
- Alanine
- Proline
- Hydroxyproline
Together, they make up the bulk of your cartilage and are essential for growth. For example:
- They stimulate hormones vital for growth (IGF-1, triiodothyronine, testosterone, DHT).
- They improve metabolism, recovery, and sleep.
- They reduce inflammation and stress.
- Most importantly—they form the building blocks of cartilage and bone itself.
Glycine, GABA, and Growth
Among these amino acids, glycine deserves special attention. Glycine acts as both a building block and a neurotransmitter, similar to GABA. Both compounds calm the brain, improve sleep, and—crucially—inhibit estrogen. That’s a big win, since estrogen is what closes growth plates (epiphyseal plates) after puberty.
Translation? Glycine helps keep the “growth switches” on for longer.
Why Most People Don’t Get Enough
The problem is that most Western diets are deficient in glycine and collagen-rich proteins.
- On average, people consume only 1.5–3 grams of glycine a day.
- Studies suggest the human body functions optimally on 40–60 grams daily.
- One particular study found that just raising glycine intake to 13 g/day (from a baseline of ~3 g/day) increased collagen synthesis by a massive 200%.
Think about that: not only would this directly strengthen intervertebral discs, but also bones, since collagen is the framework upon which calcium and minerals get deposited. In other words: more collagen synthesis = more structural growth = potential height increase.
This also explains historical patterns. Traditional diets were abundant in collagen (bone broths, tendon stews, soups with cartilage-rich cuts like chicken feet or fish heads). Today, these foods are nearly absent, replaced almost entirely by lean muscle meats—leaving us collagen-deprived.
Foods Rich in Collagen-Boosting Aminos
To restore this balance, prioritize gelatinous foods instead of just muscle meat. Examples include:
- Bone broth
- Fish head or chicken feet soup
- Bone marrow
- Jellied meats
- Pork hocks
- Tendons
- Organ meats
Here’s the challenge: to reach 40+ grams of glycine daily, you’d need a lot of these foods, and preparing them isn’t always convenient.
A practical solution? Gelatin powder (cooked collagen) offers the same amino acid profile and makes reaching your daily intake much easier.
👉 Beef Gelatin Powder
Pro-Inflammatory Amino Acids to Limit
Not all amino acids support collagen. Some—like tryptophan, cysteine, and methionine—actually break collagen down and interfere with growth.
When glycogen (stored glucose) runs low, tryptophan and cysteine act as stress signals, mimicking inflammatory states and pushing the body to break down structural proteins like collagen for energy. This not only depletes cartilage but can also disrupt thyroid and metabolic function.
High levels of these aminos can trigger:
- Thyroid suppression
- Collagen degradation
- Stress-hormone-like effects
A study on low-tryptophan diets in chicks found higher metabolism (via active thyroid hormone T3), improved hormone balance (IGF-1, growth hormone, testosterone), and even pituitary gland enlargement—all linked to increased growth potential.
The modern diet problem? Most people eat too much muscle meat and plant protein while neglecting collagen-rich sources—causing this imbalance.
Optimal Amino Acid Strategy for Growth
Growing taller through spinal cartilage requires:
- Boosting anti-inflammatory aminos (glycine, alanine, proline, hydroxyproline).
- Limiting pro-inflammatory aminos (tryptophan, cysteine, methionine).
- Complementing with key vitamins and minerals—especially Vitamin C.
Vitamin C & Collagen
Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis. Without it, collagen formation simply stalls.
It does two jobs:
- Assists in the enzymatic processes required to build collagen’s triple-helix structure.
- Provides antioxidant protection, stopping oxidative stress (ROS) from breaking collagen down prematurely.
In fact, it’s safe to say Vitamin C is the co-star alongside glycine in building and maintaining new cartilage long-term.
Closing Thoughts
There’s much more to uncover about amino acids, collagen, and height growth, but this should give you a strong framework. Fine-tuning your nutrition—especially balancing the “good” and “bad” aminos—can unlock spinal growth and help you achieve measurable, lasting gains.
Learn more about amino acids: Ray Peat – Amino Acid Insights
Discover exactly how to grow taller at any age with my proven system:
👉 The 6FT6 Method V2.0