From the previous post where a patent was being reviewed, one very interesting compound I found which seems to be able to inhibit the endochondral ossifciation process where the cartilage and chondrocytes are ossified into bone, seems to have some potential. From the PubMed study below, the researchers conclude that…

“Our findings indicate that the antiangiogenic factor chondromodulin 1 stabilizes the chondrocyte phenotype by supporting chondrogenesis but inhibiting chondrocyte hypertrophy and endochondral ossification.”

From PubMed study 2 below…

“Cartilage-generated matrix components chondromodulin-I (ChM-I) synergistically stimulates growth and differentiation of chondrocytes in the presence or absence of FGF-2. In contrast, ChM-I inhibits the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and tube formation, thereby further stimulating cartilage growth and inhibiting replacing cartilage by bone in an early stage. Another cartilage-derived chondromodulin-II (ChM-II) also stimulates cartilage growth. However, ChM-II does not inhibit vascularization but stimulates osteoclast differentiation.”

From source, Chondromodulin, an endogenous anti-angiogenic factor expressed in cartilage, has been suggested to inhibit invasion of endothelial cells into cartilage. In addition, the ectopic administration of ChM1 has been reported to suppress tumorigenesis in vivo. From source, In TMJ (temporomandibular joint), ChM-1 was expressed in the proliferative and hypertrophic zone of condylar cartilage and chondrocyte-like cells in the disc. No expression of ChM-1 was observed in osteoblasts and subchondral bone. ChM-1 may play a role in the regulation of TMJ remodeling by preventing blood vessel invasion of the cartilage, thereby maintaining condylar cartilage and disc integrity.

It can be proposed that chondromodulin may actually have the exact opposite effect in causing height decrease since it is anti-angiogenic. human height can only increased if there is a stable hard bone structure to support the additional bone layered to allow for bone lengthening but maybe chondromodulin can be used instead to hold off the growth plates from completely ossifying and be kept in cartilage form long enough to get other types of bone modulators inside to cause mesenchymal differentiation, chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy, and growth factor expression in the cartilage.

From PubMed study link HERE…

Arthritis Rheum. 2011 Sep;63(9):2721-31. doi: 10.1002/art.30335.

Chondromodulin 1 stabilizes the chondrocyte phenotype and inhibits endochondral ossification of porcine cartilage repair tissue.

Klinger P, Surmann-Schmitt C, Brem M, Swoboda B, Distler JH, Carl HD, von der Mark K, Hennig FF, Gelse K.

Source

Department of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, University Erlangen-Nuremberg and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effect of chondromodulin 1 on the phenotype of osteochondral progenitor cells in cartilage repair tissue.

METHODS:

Self-complementary adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors carrying chondromodulin 1 complementary DNA (AAV-Chm-1) were applied to cartilage lesions in the knee joints of miniature pigs that were treated by the microfracture technique. Alternatively, isolated porcine osteochondral progenitor cells were infected with AAV-Chm-1 or with AAV-GFP control vectors ex vivo prior to being transplanted into cartilage lesions in which the subchondral bone plate was left intact. The quality of the repair tissue and the degree of endochondral ossification were assessed by histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The effects of chondromodulin 1 overexpression were also analyzed by angiogenesis assays and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS:

AAV-Chm-1-infected cells efficiently produced chondromodulin 1, which had strong antiangiogenic effects, as verified by the inhibition of tube formation of endothelial cells. Gene expression analyses in vitro revealed the cell cycle inhibitor p21WAF1/Cip1 as one target up-regulated by AAV-Chm-1. Direct application of AAV-Chm-1 vectors into microfractured porcine cartilage lesions stimulated chondrogenic differentiation of ingrowing progenitor cells, but significantly inhibited terminal chondrocyte hypertrophy, the invasion of vessel structures, and excessive endochondral ossification, which were otherwise observed in untreated lesions. Indirect gene transfer, with infection of porcine osteochondral progenitor cells by AAV-Chm-1 ex vivo, also supported chondrogenic differentiation of these transplanted cells. AAV-Chm-1-infected cells maintained a chondrocyte-like phenotype and formed a hyaline-like matrix that was superior to that formed by uninfected or AAV-GFP-infected cells.

CONCLUSION:

Our findings indicate that the antiangiogenic factor chondromodulin 1 stabilizes the chondrocyte phenotype by supporting chondrogenesis but inhibiting chondrocyte hypertrophy and endochondral ossification.

Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Rheumatology.

What makes the permanent articular cartilage permanent? [Arthritis Rheum. 2011]

PMID:  21391200   [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]  Free full text

From PubMed study 2 link HERE…Connect Tissue Res. 1996;35(1-4):303-7.

Roles of cartilage matrix proteins, chondromodulin-I and -II, in endochondral bone formation: a review.

Suzuki F.

Source

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Osaka University, Japan. fsuzuki@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp

Abstract

Insulin induces early chondrogenesis in cultures of a clonal cell-line, ATDC5, which was derived from mouse embryonal carcinoma line AT805. Cartilage-generated matrix components chondromodulin-I (ChM-I) synergistically stimulates growth and differentiation of chondrocytes in the presence or absence of FGF-2. In contrast, ChM-I inhibits the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and tube formation, thereby further stimulating cartilage growth and inhibiting replacing cartilage by bone in an early stage. Another cartilage-derived chondromodulin-II (ChM-II) also stimulates cartilage growth. However, ChM-II does not inhibit vascularization but stimulates osteoclast differentiation. Therefore, endochondral bone formation is regulated sequentially by cartilage-derived multiple autocrine factors. This opens a new mechanism of regulation of endochondral bone formation.

PMID: 9084668    [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

The 2nd episode for the Natural Height Quest podcast has Tyler from HeightQuest.com come on the show to discuss his own research into the endeavor of increasing our height. I am very welcomed to have him on since I’ve been following and reading on his posts for a while now to see what he has found in his discoveries.

Episode #2: Guest Tyler From HeightQuest Discusses His Research

I give a rather long introduction to the man who needs no introduction. We go into his back story, his analysis of Sky’s old work, the theory on why Lateral Synovial Joint Loading works, how his own height increase has been developing, and how the different types of loading leads to different ways for bone growth. Later on we touch upon the recent discoveries on the correlation between pregnancy and the hormone relaxin, how government regulations may cause issues with the growth plate implantation idea, and the need to find professionals in the medical field.

Along the way, the sequencing of the questions were mixed a little so it is not really in a fluid way. Hang in there with us. I think we are improving. Overall, I think the interview was a great success. Maybe next time we can answer questions from the listeners and readers who want to email in to us questions they have.

[Warning: The volume of the intro music and the our voices are way different. The music is very low and soft while out voices came out to be rather loud. You will probably need to adjust the volume. I will try to correct this problem in future episodes.]

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes and/or leave a review for the podcast!

Length of time: 31 mins

Listen – (to download, right click and click ‘save’)

I have been getting quite a bit of questions to the website email recently and I have noticed that most of the questions are very similar in format, intent, or context so I thought I might be able to streamline the operations of this website even further by getting a lot of these questions already answered and posted for the reader to easily access and then leave it alone. This should make my work a lot easier

1. What types of supplements, vitamins, or pills can I take so I can grow taller?

• Refer to the section in the header called “Supplement Guide“. I hope that answers all your concerns, issues, and questions.

2. What types of exercises, routines, or programs can I do so I can increase my height?

• Refer to the sub-section entitled “Exercise Program Guide“. I hope that answers all your concerns, issues, and questions.

3. How long should I have to do the supplements or exercises before I see results like 1 inch or 2 inches of growth?

• The process will probably take at least 3X the time most people believe. The range of time before a person sees height difference changes can be from 1 month to over 2 years. It’s hard to say.

4.1. General/Average Case Studies: “Hello, I’m XXX feet/cm tall (assume height is in the bottom 50 percentile of height distribution of the society, tribe, or nation they reside in). I am XX (assume it is beyond 16 years for females and 18 years for males) years old. I want to be X-XX inches taller. Do I still have a chance to  grow? Please help me!!”

• It really does break my heart to hear the these types of stories in the emails of people who message me. All I can say is that there is always a chance but a small chance. As we grow older, that chance to have the random, spontaneous growth spurt of maybe 2-6 inches decreases dramatically. I tried to answer this question as completely, honestly, and scientifically accurate as possible through my post entitled, “Hi, I’m ENTER YOUR AGE years old. Am I Still Growing? Can I Still Grow Taller?”. All that can be suggested is to perform the exercises, stretching, good nutrition, and supplement taking from the “Supplement Guide” and “Exercise Program Guide” above and just follow this website. We are slowly, methodically going through all the data, studies, and research.

4.2. What Is The Most Height Gain One Can Achieve Through Exercises And Stretching After Puberty And Growth Plate Closure?

• To answer this question just read the post written about this exact question at “What Is The Most Height Gain One Can Achieve Through Exercises And Stretching After Puberty And Growth Plate Closure?” . Hope that answers the main question as completely as possible.

5. Who are you and what are your intentions?

• My name is Michael. I’m 28, from the USA, Seattle specifically. For the past few years I have been really interested in trying to see if I can grow taller even though I am definitely past the age of natural growth. I wrote about my own journey into research and obsession on finding a solution in many past, old posts like “My Own Personal Story For Height” and “What I Want From You, The Reader“.

6. What are you selling?

• Currently I’m selling nothing of a product that deals with height increase or how to grow taller, and that is only because I still have not found one type of method or method that has been proven within to my level of confidence that it would consistently allow a person to increase their height and grow taller, assuming of course we are not dealing with the extremely painful, expensive, time consuming, and invasive operation of leg or limb lengthening surgery.

• Maybe sometime in the future I will find something that shows to be feasible, practical, and valid in true height increase and then I will promote, advertise, and sell that type of product or service.

7. How much money are you making from doing this website?

• I am currently making absolutely no money from this venture, although maybe one day I might decide to monetize it somehow. In the past I have thought about monetizing it but I don’t have a business model on how to do it yet. There are a few donation buttons scattered throughout the webpages and posts but there is little money coming and that’s completely fine.

• Update 12/18/2012: After a lot of soul searching and thinking I have decided to monetize the website. Many of the supplement and product links on the website are now affiliate links with Amazon Affiliates. However, I always inform the reader that the links are affiliate links so they realize what they will be doing if they buy from the associate.

8. I’m thinking of buying this product or using this service I found from this website. Do you think I should do ahead and buy it?

• Please when you are referring to the product or service from a certain website, leave the url domain name in a message to the website email so I can look at it. If it is a website I have seen before and reviewed, I’ll forward you the # under the “Complete List Of Posts, All Posts” section. If It is not a product I have seen before, I might decide to write a post about the product/service being sold online on the specific website you gave me.

9. I have an idea or suggestion on how to make the website/blog even better than what it is like right now.

• Well I’d like to hear it. If it is reasonable and it seems like it will certainty improve the visitor’s and reader’s experience, I’ll try to implement it. If it seems really complicated, time consuming, or requires a lot of financial resources, I will be hesitant and probably decide not to go through with it.

10. What is the best way to reach you?

• There really is only two ways you can reach me. The obvious and easiest method is to give me an email at the website email naturalheightgrowth@gmail.com. The other way is to leave a message on the Natural Height Growth Facebook Page. I check that profile wall maybe once a week.

11. You just violated a copyright law by using one of my website’s pictures, audio, or video. I am going to sue you!

• Let’s be reasonable and see where exactly I’ve infringed on your, your companies, or your organizations’s intellectual property. I’m one person who has very limited financial resources right now. If you really wanted to go through the legal system and press charges go ahead. You won’t get anything since I have nothing and you’ll just waste money on lawyers. It’s better for us to sit down and discuss things out. All you have to do is point out which picture, audio, or video I incorrectly put on this website, I’ll act quickly and appropriately to remove all material. However, I try very hard to reference, cite, and link the sources I do use. For the pictures that I post, I either find them from “Google Images” or clip them from websites using the “Shift+Command+4” special key on the MacOS. I did not know some of the material was copyrighted if I am found guilty of any wrongdoing of using other organization’s intellectual property.

12. How can you be sure your ideas are correct?

• I’m only able to use the internet and it’s resources to give me the most relevant informtion I can find at that time. Sometimes I make the wrong conclusion and assessment only to retract my opinions from before due to new information and news that has come out. This has happened with “Public Apology To The Biomedical Growth Research Initiative” and “Was Zixia And The Qigong Method To Increase Height A Scam? A Convincing Possible Scam Or Legitimate?“. That last controversy is still a little difficult to make a conclusion on since I can’t conclude with complete confidence that Zixia was either a scam or a real height increase seeker.

13. One of the websites you listed as a scam is wrong. They are the real deal.

• Okay. I think the burden of proof is really on you since in the history of scientific research, besides limb lengthening surgery, there has not been found one serious, real, valid idea out there that have been shown to really increase the height of people who use it after they finished going through the “natural” growing process. If you can show photo’s videos, or something which gives really good evidence, then I would definitely take notice and take the website, company, and/or organization more seriously.  Until then, the side that has to prove to the other side of the validity of it’s claims is the side that says they have a method that works in increasing height.

14. How can you be so sure that XXX product/pill/company/E-Book is just a scam?

• I am relatively confident from the fact that I have managed to find reviews, download, torrent (I know, I’m bad), get from friends, and even buy these products from other people. I have looked at their claims, read the science of them trying to explain why their pill, product, or book works, and the scientific theory to validate their technique, method, or strategy is severely lacking.

15. Your website is very resourceful.

• Thank you.

16. What do you think is the area of research we should focus on to find the solution to achieving height increase after growth plate closure?

• I’m really not sure right now. There is so many possible paths we could be taking, from gene therapy, steroid stacking, growth plate transplants, PEMF application, LIPUS, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, Bone Loading Modalities, Lateral Synovial Joint Loading, Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering, Bone demineralization, Microfracture Induction, Spinal Decompression, Hormone regulation, Growth Hormone Injections, Chondrocyte Implantation, Cartilage Implantation, Growth Factor Mixture Injections, BMP Injections, etc. So far I am just casting the net of research as wide as possible.

17. I’d like to help somehow. Can I work or collaborate with you on the research or for editing the website?

• Sure. I’m only one person. I could definitely use the help in doing the research, findings, and analysis of products, ideas, and the science.

18. I’m a great fan of this website and really want to help out the cause. How can I make a  donation?

• Current I have a few donation buttons scattered around the posts and webpages of this website. I am not even sure where they are currently. Maybe you can help me locate where I had originally put those donation buttons since I forgot. Or maybe I should put a little Donations Button somewhere on the edge of the webpage so everyone will know it is there.

19. When are you going to get up the next podcast episode?

• I try not to put up new podcast episodes unless I have something new or important to share. Even then, I would more likely share that type of breaking news and research to the people who are subscribed to the website mailing list than put it as an announcement on the podcasts, although I probably might. I try to only have podcast from interviews I’ve managed to get with people who are interested in the height increase endeavor or are part of the scientific, medical, engineering, or research based communities.

20. Can you explain the Lateral Synovial Joint Loading method a little more? I don’t understand what you are supposed to do.

• I would suggest you start by reading the three old posts I wrote about the subject, “Lateral Synovial Joint Loading Explained In Simple English“, “A Simple Step By Step Guide For Lateral Synovial Joint Loading“, and “How Lateral Synovial Joint Loading Works To Increase Height From Non-Distraction: FAQs and Concerns Answered (Guest Post)“. If you are still unclear about the details and technical aspects, you can email me. However, the best advice I can give for this type of confusion on the LSJL details is to contact Tyler from HeightQuest.com himself at email tdavisradlab@hotmail.com.

21. You are a really bad writer who makes a lot of grammatical and spelling errors. Some of your sentences in the posts don’t even make any sense.

• I agree with you. I didn’t major in English in college. I am really a bad writer but I think my writing has been slowly improving a little bit and the quality in the posts I think has been getting a little better over time. Maybe one day I’ll go back to my earlier posts and correct those gramatical and spelling errors.

22. I am doing weightlifting and/or bodybuilding of some kind. Does this mean that I am stunting my growth?

• At this point in the research, the studies point to a very strong correlation. Weightlifting and bodybuilding do seem to stunt growth and/or decrease height to some effect. A post article written about this topic is “To Increase Height And Grow Taller, Should You Do Weightlifting? Does It Stunt Growth?“

Me: From a recent email that I got from another height seeker, I was informed of another website out there that promises to be able to deliver to its visitors the dream of height increase. The website is www.herbalhealthteam.co.uk.

From the start, I could start off claiming that it is another scam pulled off by people who are just trying to get the money from poor, desperate naive people who desire to be taller. However, I have been getting A LOT of emails and comments on past posts where they claim that I should not be making claims on that fact that certain products like Gloxi and GrowthMax when I have not tried out the products themselves. That is a valid enough point to show that one should not start to judgement, criticize, or condemn some person, idea, or thing because they have not tried it out themselves out.

Yeah, but I also know that I wouldn’t enjoy getting a fork stuck into my eye without without going through the experience. There is a behavior in psychology known as avoidance where people psychologically avoid in terms of thinking patterns of idea they know are harmful and destructive to their self or ego. I am practicing the same type of behavior through action by purposely avoiding websites like these.

This is the segment of their claim from the height increase page…

“Grow Tall” of course will work for people of all statures.  No matter whether you are a teenager or an adult.  An increase of 1inch to 6 inches can be obtained with the “Grow Tall” growth supplement.  “Grow Tall” has a high success rate and studies have shown that a percentage of 96 have been shown, for people between the age of 13 and 40 who have used  this unique supplement.  It has proved to be a product for height gain which of course has increased confidence and the overall well being of the persons who have taken the wise decision to use this unique formula.

I am going to stick to my claim that these product sold online, but especially any type of pill, capsule, supplement, all natural vitamin, or herb, are not effective in making people taller after they have reached physical maturity. And this website claims adults can increase their height by 1- 6 inches. That is a total lie.

Point #1: The website for herbalhealthteam.co.uk seems to sell not just height increase herbs/pills, but they also sell pills that are suppose to be able to do these miracles too…

• Improve male fertility
• Increase breast firmness
• Take weight off
• Remove lice
• Add weight on
• Whiten your skin
• Increase the size of the male penis
• Regrow hair
• Improve one’s memory
• Attract the opposite sex using “passion pheromones”

Okay, I am not going to go any further in this review because it is a clear waste of my time. If any website is willing to not only make the claim that they can give you herbs to grow taller when you are an adult, that is bad enough. However this “team” of sellers claim to also have the solution to whiten one’s skin, using “passion pheromones” to get the opposite sex for sex, and increase the size of the male penis has gone way to far. There has been enough articles that have come out to show that the pills that claim to make the male penis longer and larger are lying. I remember years ago in Late Night Television there was this infomercial about a product/pill that lead to “natural male enhancement” (aka penis enlargement) which was being advertised by 80s pornstart Ron Jeremy. However the product and company which sold the stuff was eventually convicted of legal issues (source). With the skin whitening thing, it is a very common desire for the South Asian community in the UK so maybe the UK based website is targeting the large demographic, and there is already products like “Fair and Lovely” or “Fair and Handsome” sold in many South Asian and Middle Eastern shops in the UK. For the hair regrowth part, I am not sure about. However there is absolutely no pheromone out there that actually works to attract the opposite sex. If there was, I’d want to know about it and buy a gallon full of that stuff.

Me: This idea was a very easy idea once I found the PubMed article and understood its implications. In the study we see that when glucosamine sulphate (GS) and chondroitin sulphate (CS) were used in the treatment of surgically created focal cartilage defects.

The results showed …”surfaces of the ACI-repaired sites appeared smooth and continuous with the surrounding native cartilage“. We know how hard it is for articular cartilage in the knees (and other joints) to grow, if they even do regrow at all. this showed that with either a GS & CS oral intake or injection, the articular cartilage regrew back! What we are seeing that the thickness of the cartilage layer increased, and from a axial direction, that means the human vertical has been increased, or their height has increased.

This proves for me within a 99.9% confidence level that if you did start taking both glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate you will at least regain the 1-2 mm you might have lost through the years of wear and tear on the surface of the articular cartilage in the joints. I know that my grandmother has no more cartilage in any of her knee joint ends so this would probably help her a lot. . If however the GS & CS is not supposed to be taken orally because the mineral supplements can not get to the long bone ends of the articular joints due to capillary diffusion bottleneck issues or stomach digestive acids breaking it apart, it would still work to get the mineral to be directly applied in the epiphysis region through injection and get at most 2 mm of extra height. I know, it’s not a lot of extra height increase but it is a start and I think I have proved without a shadow of a doubt of the first real supplement that can lead to some (but very little) height increase during one’s adult years.

[Note: This PubMed study has already been cited before in a previous post on this website, however I am not sure which one though.]

From the PubMed article link HERE….(For the Full Text article, click HERE)

Eur Cell Mater. 2011 Mar 15;21:259-71; discussion 270-1.

A preliminary study of the effects of glucosamine sulphate and chondroitin sulphate on surgically treated and untreated focal cartilage damage.

A question that was posed to me a while back by Tyler was over the fact that maybe I should also be joining in and trying out the routines and programs like the LSJL method to gain the height that I desire. Well I felt like I was “put on the spot” as they call it and I wanted to clear that issue up just in case I get more request, questions, and concerns raised about it again from future doubters.

Well, I decided not to go through with any exercises and routines because of 4 main reasons.

1. I have already tried out the exercises and gotten the real height increase I had hoped for. I went from a 5′ 11.75″  max height to a 6′ 0″ max height (which is only a 0.25″ increase) so I can finally say that I am 6 foot tall if I was ever questioned by a cute girl who was judging me on my dating potential due to size. I have finally become “acceptable” for 80% of the females out there. My chances of mating has essentially quadrupled from reaching this weird society created standard height cut off point.

2. When I did the exercises years ago (2 to be exact) I actually hurt my lower back on from using the inversion table and also hurt one of my knees using the ankle weights. Those small pain and injuries have stayed around and has not gone away so I guess I could say I developed some form of chronic musculoskeletal issue with my lower back and knees because of my height obsession years ago where I did use the machines and exercises. That has taught me a lesson and made me avoid trying out those crazy height increase devices from this point on. I think I have developed a healthy avoidance behavior to those things.

3. From being in a Asian country for the last half year, I realize that I am probably taller than 90% of the people of the country I’m in. It helps keep things in perspective and I realize that in some countries, I might even be considered “tall” which is really surprising.

4. I am in my last 20s now (28) and I sort have been able to accept my size and I don’t feel like I need to be any bigger to prove to anyone else of my sense of worth through height. I’m most happy with how big I am now.