The Specialists

Does drinking milk before bed help growing taller?

Why milk is important?

Milk consists of various essential nutrients including calcium, protein, potassium, certain vitamins, iodine and phosphorus. Hence, it provides your child with certain essential components that help in building body mass and growth.

How does milk help in growth?

It should be noted that drinking milk cannot change your genetics or other factors like low growth hormones. Milk helps in supplying vitamin A and D and calcium. Vitamin A promotes bone growth, vitamin D helps in preserving bone strength and calcium acts as a building block for your bones. Moreover, it is known that milk’s sleep-promoting potential is likely related to specific chemical compounds of having a soothing bedtime routine. And sleep also has important effects on growth, especially in children.

Whole or low-fat milk?

Young children need calories from fat for growth and brain development, so whole milk is a good option for most toddlers over age 12 months who are not breastfeeding or drinking formula. However, for some children who are already overweight, or there are family members who are overweight, or with high cholesterol, or other health risk factors, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents that reduced-fat milk might be appropriate.

What can affect a child’s growth?

Your child’s growth and height don't depend on nutrition alone. They also depend on various other factors, like genetics. According to health experts, 20 to 40 per cent of your child’s growth depends on non-genetic factors, in which nutrition plays a major role. Usually, it has been found that children who are malnourished are thin and short than others of their age.

What is “normal” growth?

Growth rates are different at different stages of development. The most rapid growth is in the first three years of life. Growth rates continue at a steady but less dramatic rate until adolescence, when growth once again becomes quite rapid. As the skeletal growth plates begin to fuse in late adolescence, the child’s growth rate slows. Girls have an earlier adolescent growth spurt than boys and achieve their final adult height by age 16, on average, with boy’s growth continuing until age 18.