Me: I was looking through the posts on Height Quest and I found a comment left on one of the posts where the person linked to a post which showed that apparently the Koreans have been giving kids with stunted growth a type of herbal mixture to accelerate their growth. The compounds and active ingredients appear to have been found to be extracts of Astragalus membranaceus, Phlomis umbrosa and Eleutherococcus senticosus. The marketed product name is HT042 which comes as a sort of supplement taken orally.  

From a research point of view, the supplement HT042 has no oestrogenic properties. It seems to increase the numeber of IGF-1 and IGF-BP3. Rats given the supplement seemed to grow at 50% faster rate than the controlled group of rats. This supplement at this time can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription. 

. The link to the actual article is located HERE. The HeightQuest Post was entitled “Can LSJL Work On Adults?”

Korean herbal supplement HT042 makes bones longer 

Traditional herbalists in Korea treat children whose growth is stunted with extracts ofAstragalus membranaceus, Phlomis umbrosa and Eleutherococcus senticosus. A mix containing these herbs is now marketed in Korea as HT042. Pharmacologists from Kyung Hee University will soon publish the results of an animal study in which young rats grew one and a half times as fast when given HT042 as a supplement.

The Koreans published an article two years ago about the growth effects of HT042. [J Med Food. 2010 Dec;13(6):1376-84.] They gave the extract to 3-week-old female rats for four days and found that HT042 boosted the rats’ growth. The combination of astragalus, Phlomis umbrosa and Siberian ginseng boosted the activity of IGF-1 in the growth plates of the bones.

In the article that will be published soon in Phytotherapy Research the Koreans repeated their experiment, but gave rats the supplement for three weeks. Again female rats aged three weeks were given a mixture of alcohol extracts of Astragalus membranaceus, Phlomis umbrosa and Eleutherococcus senticosus in a ratio of 31.2:26.5:42.3. The researchers gave the rats the supplements orally twice a day. The animals were given 100 mg HT042 per kg bodyweight per day. The human equivalent of this dose would be about 16 mg per kg bodyweight per day.

The researchers used two control groups. One group was given nothing [Control], the other was given a daily injection of 20 mcg human growth hormone [rhGH] per kg bodyweight.

The figure below shows that the supplement increased the concentration of IGF-1 and – to a lesser extent – the ‘good binding protein’ IGF-BP3 in the growth plates in comparison with the control groups. IGF-BP3 transports IGF-1 without reducing the activity of the growth factor. The bigger the clumps, the more IGF-1 and IGF-BP3.

RZ = resting zone; PZ = proliferative zone; HZ = hypertrophic zone. The length growth of the bones actually takes place in the hypertrophic zone.

The IGF-1 concentration in the blood also rose.

The table below shows that the rats in the control group grew about 34 cm. The rats in the HT042 grew 52 cm. The experimental group animals grew one and a half times as fast as a result of taking the supplement.

The researchers also looked at whether HT042 also has oestrogenic properties. Oestrogen supplementation may increase the aging of growth plates, so that growth in length stops. However the Koreans found no effects on the rats’ reproductive organs and therefore conclude that HT042 contains no oestrogenic components.

“Together, these results suggest that HT042 promotes cell proliferation and bone growth at the epiphyseal plate without oestrogenic activity”, the researchers conclude. “HT042 might be helpful in improving the short stature of children before the pubertal growth spurt.”

Yakult co-financed the study.

Whether it’s sensible to give a supplement like HT042 to children? We have our doubts. Not enough is known yet about side effects. In Korea HT042 is only available with a doctor’s prescription.

Source:  Phytother Res. 2012 Mar 3. doi: 10.1002/ptr.4642. [Epub ahead of print].

Me: This is the first type of invention I have ever found which shows that people have already found out how to possibly increase stature by using gene therapy. This is real. It seems the Guanyl Cyclase B activator somehow increase the cartilage in the subject’s body. Most of the technical material on genetics is over my head at this time. There is no way at this time that I can explain it as well as I hope to. This method appears to show that the technology is already available to have genetically engineering babies who are modified to be taller and bigger than the original genetic material. 

The patent was found from the link HERE.

This invention provides a composition for increasing a body height of a patient with short stature or an individual other than patients with short stature. More specifically, the invention provides: a composition for increasing the body height of an individual comprising a guanyl cyclase B (GC-B) activator as an active ingredient, the composition being to be administered to an individual free from FGFR3 abnormality; a method for increasing the body height of an individual free from FGFR3 abnormality which comprises activating GC-B; a method for screening an agent for increasing the body height of an individual which comprises selecting an agent for increasing the body height using GC-B activity as an indication; and a method for extending a cartilage bone free from FGFR3 abnormality which comprises activating GC-B in an individual.

Guanyl cyclase (GC) is a membrane protein belonging to the enzyme family that catalyzes the synthesis of the second messenger cGMP from GTP, and its examples include GC-A, GC-B, . . . , and GC-F. GC-B is found mainly in vascular endothelial cells, and thought to be involved in relaxation of the smooth muscle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for increasing a body height of a patient with short stature or an individual other than patients with short stature, who is free from FGFR3 abnormality, for therapeutic, cosmetic, or other purposes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for increasing a body height in a patient with short stature or an individual other than patients with short stature by the activation of GC-B, wherein said patient and individual are both free from FGFR3 abnormality.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for screening for an agent for increasing a body height using the activity of GC-B as an indication.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for extending a cartilage bone free from FGFR3 abnormality by the activation of GC-B.

Me: This invention is a low invasive surgical procedure which flat implants are systematically inserted into the subject’s vertebral bone through a stacking process which decompresses possible vertebral fractures that develop from bone degeneration. It is a type of vertebroplasty. There is an initial implant of a top and bottom plate, and then the real implant is placed between them. This implant is expandable but not inflatable. It expands only in the spinal axis direction thus pushing apart the top and bottom plates and supporting them. This causes the vertebral to expand and widen, thus increasing vertebral height. Once you get the implant next to the cancellous bone, you inject a bone filler ,which is body cement into the implant. 

The way the implants are stacked upon each other is similar to the game of Jenga with the blocks but there is a locking mechanism which holds the pieces in place 

I must say that this approach has minimal invasiveness and the invention will lead to even more ideas in this small area of surgery. 

Patent Link found HERE.

Patent number: 7744637

Filing date: Oct 5, 2007
Issue date: Jun 29, 2010
Application number: 11/867,867

Me: This type of invention seems to show that if you can get the electric signal sent to be of a certain type in shape, you can signal whether to cause osteogenesis or chondrogenesis. Somehow from the regulation of the release of NO gas using NO donors and NO synthase inhibitors as well as BMP-2 and BMP-7  you can literally control the differentiation of the progenitor cells to differentiate into chondrocytes and control the rate of the growth of the chondrocytes.  Again, this invention works on the same theory as the PEMF technology. you attach the electrodes which are connected to a signal generator to the cartilage on the body and the specific signals that is sent will control the way chondroblast behave. 

The source link for the patent was found from Google Patents HERE.

Methods for modulating chondrocyte proliferation using pulsing electric fields

James W. Kronberg et al

Compositions and methods are provided for modulating the growth, development and repair of cartilage, bone or other connective tissue. Devices and stimulus waveforms are provided to differentially modulate the behavior of chondrocytes, osteoblasts and other connective tissue cells to promote proliferation, differentiation, matrix formation or mineralization for in vitro or in vivo applications. Continuous-mode and pulse-burst-mode stimulation of cells with charge-balanced signals may be used. Cartilage, bone and other connective tissue growth is stimulated in part by nitric oxide release through electrical stimulation and may be modulated through co-administration of NO donors and NO synthase inhibitors. The methods and devices described are useful in promoting repair of bone fractures, cartilage and connective tissue repair as well as for engineering tissue for transplantation.

Me: This is another invention that allows for chondrocyte proliferation and its differentiation from the progenitor cells. It appear to be a type of injection composition with very specific molecules that targets the RANKL molecule. This means that the effect of RANKL is reduced, which allows for more cartilage and bones to be produced and the effect of osteoclasts to be decreased. 

NOVEL INDUCER OF CHONDROCYTE PROLIFERATION AND DIFFERENTIATION

Hisataka Yasuda et a

This invention provides a method for administration of an effective amount of RANKL-binding molecules that act on prechondrocytes and/or mesenchymal stem cells, accelerate cartilage differentiation, proliferation, and maturation of such cells, enhance chondrocyte differentiation, and induce chondrocyte proliferation to induce chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation or increase cartilage matrix production and a pharmaceutical composition used for inducing chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation or increasing cartilage matrix production. The pharmaceutical composition used for treatment or prevention of a chondropathies comprises, as an active ingredient, a compound that acts on prechondrocytes and/or mesenchymal stem cells and induces at least one of the following: (a) acceleration of prechondrocyte and/or mesenchymal stem cell differentiation; (b) acceleration of prechondrocyte and/or mesenchymal stem cell proliferation; (c) acceleration of prechondrocyte and/or mesenchy…

Application number: 12/998,253
Publication number:US 2011/0177069 A1
Filing date: Sep 9, 2009

You can find the link to the patent HERE. Again, this was found from using Google Patents and by typing in the words “chondrocyte proliferation”. It really is not that hard to find stuff like this. I just try to look through the patents and find stuff most relevant to what we are trying to do.

Invention Outline and Analysis

This patent is hard for me to understand how it is done. What I have been able to figure out is that a compound was synthesize similar to the binding region of the RANKL molecule and slightly altered to act as an antibody for the RANKL molecule. The actual molecule being administered appears to be a fusion protein of a peptide with a specific amino acid being sequenced, and from my quick glance at it is not that long, so I would guess the average university bimolecular lab can possibly synthesize this within a few months and get people trying it out.

What I am willing to say is that this may be the first real possible height increase technique or idea you can use and might get results from as a physically mature adult. However, you have to believe that the theory behind LSJL makes sense, that chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation will lead to bones being pressed apart.

Me: This is one of those posts that if you are serious about this endeavor, you would want to see this post. Now we already know that PEMF technology can increase bones, but from the diagram below it seems that the machine was placed next to the growth plate to stimulate it to increase the growth rate. I personally know many Electrical Engineers who can build something like this easily. You can even get a very similar device which does this from Radioshack or an electronic parts store. 

The technology looks like just the application of the PEMF technology. From wikipedia, “PEMF uses electrical energy to direct a series of magnetic pulses through injured tissue whereby each magnetic pulse induces a tiny electrical signal that stimulates cellular repair”… My guess on how the theory works is that bones themselves have a sort of piezoelectric properties. When you apply a current through the bone, the hard crystals or the chondrocytes inside can potentially align parallel to the electrical field generated. You should definitely read the actual patent with the link below.

This is the patent link HERE. You can find it easily by going to Google Patents and typing in the words “epiphyseal plate” into search.

What You Need To Know And Take Away From This Post 

This was an invention that was put up as a patent almost 20 years ago where a guy showed that if you put an electrical signal through the area close to the epiphyseal growth plates, it can result in longitudinal bone growth increases.

I am going to save you the trouble of reading through the entire invention but if you want to, you still should look over it. It shows that there are far more ideas and tricks people are trying out to make the long bones grow longer.

The other ways the experimenter has tried to make the long bones grow are.

1. periosteal irritation

2. radiation

3. medullary plugging

4. creation of an arteriovenous fistula

5. sympathetic denervation

6. heat

7. insertion of foreign object

8. electricity

Previous experiments with electricity involved embedding two non-similar metal rods into the metaphysics region of the long bone (probably copper and zinc), then applying either an AC or DC current of around 10-20 microamps just like a electrolysis experiment.

This is how the invention is supposed to be applied. You first have to buy a signal producing generator, like a WaveTech Model 148 Function Generator. The modern equivalent would be a Tectronix AFG2021 model which can cost between $200-$1500. You then shave your legs, at least the areas where the growth plates are. You apply some KY jelly for lubrication. You get two wires to attach to the signal generator . The other ends of the wires have a  small relatively flat electrode with an area about a 1 in^s. You can also put a dielectric material Mylar film to make the electric field produced to be slightly different. You put the flats electrodes on the sides of your shaven leg, on the left and right sides, right where your epiphyseal plates are supposed to be. You fasten and hold the bare metal electrodes in place with a plastic jig and moleskin wrap. Note that if you keep the plastic in place for too long, it can lead to edema. For the experiment, the subjects war rabbits and they were injected on day 0 with 3 mg/kg of intravenous oxytetracycline because it seems the compound helps increase the mineralization of cartilage and bone cells. Another host of oxytetracycline was given on day 2.

The signal you are supposed to make and sent with the generator will be between 2.5 and 15 volts, peak to peak . The frequency range is between 20 and 120 KHz. The calculate the current going through the leg, you also attach an 100 ohm resistor in series with the electrodes, so that you can later figure out what is the voltage drop between the electrodes. The Current RMS value for the rabbit experiment was around 0.50-2.50 miliamps range. The signals that got the most longitudinal growth was between 5-10 Volts peak Voltage as an AC signal and around 60 MHz. You can monitor the signal of the electrodes by using a Oscilloscope from Techtronix. For the experiment, the experimental legs increased in length by an average of up to 9% compared to the control which were the legs not stimulated upon.