Old Wife Tale: True or False

[slick635235]

I heard the following statement is false:


1. Cigarettes and coffee stunts human height.

Are there any facts that can prove this statement to be true or is this just a old wife tale that your mother told you when you were younger to not to do drugsf

 

[JarheadChiro]

Sure, it has some possibilities.

Here's my take on it.

Caffeine and nicotine are taxing on the system, causing dehydration, loss of appetite and nutritional deficiencies.

Dehydration can lead to spatulization, (decreased intervetebral disc space) and yes cause maximum height issues.

The other 2 are self explanitory.

Hope this helps.

 

[H_T_]

there is absolutely no benefit in smoking. caffeine improves mental awareness, etc.

 

[musclemom]

I guess it depends on what age you start pollluting your body ...

Smoking screws up your lungs, makes you more prone to respiratory infection, reduces the overall oxygenation of your blood, maybe if you're smoking at a time in your life when you're going through a critical growth spurt (like 12 or so) certainly sounds like it has the potential to stunt growth.

Caffeine has the potential to kill your appetite, can make you jittery and give you insomnia, so I guess there's potential for being undernourished and exhausted and as we all know that affects growth.

I'd say if you really want to know for sure send it to MythBusters, but my vote is for plausible.