Most people stop growing taller soon after puberty.
Researchers are starting to understand why some people don't. We usually associate the hormone estrogen with women, but doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that it can be important for men, too. It appears to play a role in the growth of bones. Doctors recently handled a case of a patient who kept growing even as he reached the age of 38, when most people have long since quit growing taller. He also appeared to have weaker bones, similar to women with osteoporosis.