So I’m still working on getting a hand x-ray.  I’m contacting facilities to see if they take walk-ins.  No replies so far. I also read you may be able to get an x-ray at the airport(but that was in context of a full body scan)?  I’m looking for alternative medicine facilities that do x-rays but I’ve read they need a doctors script too.  I don’t really want to go do the Urgent Care but it looks like I may not have a choice.  If anyone has any experience let me know. Here’s the last update.

The right finger could be longer since last update but not sure.

Here’s a thumb pic:

I’ve been clamping my left thumb but not my right and from this picture you can see the left thumb is slightly but significantly longer.  The osteophytes are much less noticeable in my left thumb than my right index finger but they are there if I feel around the clamping region.

Interestingly, I clamp each of the three joints of the finger.

Here’s an image of the finger bones:

I clamp the two interphalangeal joints from side to side  but at the metacarpophalangeal joint I clamp from top to bottom.   The epiphysis near the MP on the index proximal phalanx of my right (clamped) finger is thicker than my left finger but not as enlarged as the epiphysis near the IPs of the distal and middle phalanx.  The IPs of the clamped joints are also rougher than the MP which is clamped overhead rather than side to side.  So some of the enhanced epiphyseal thickness may be due to LSJL growth stimulation and other effects may be due to irritation from the clamping surface on the joint.  If I can get an x-ray it will be interesting to compare the two IPs to the MPs.  For a period of time, I tried clamping the two IPs from top and bottom but didn’t get noticeable results from that.  Top to bottom clamping may be more effective in the MP than the IPs due to differences in joint structure.  You can feel much more pressure generated by top to bottom clamping of the MP than you can the IPs.

As for leg clamping, I am increasing the duration and intensity of the clamping.  I may be getting taller but I cannot yet rule out placebo(like I have with my thumb and index finger which are too noticeable and significant to be placebo) or measurement error.  I grew about 1 1/2 inches in wingspan for sure but I don’t have photographic evidence.  I’ll have to keep monitoring there.  In a week if I don’t have noticeable leg progress, I’ll bite the bullet and go to urgent care to get the x-rays.

Magnetic MAGEC Spine Lengthening Metal Rod Device For Noninvasive Scoliosis Treatment

It seems that the technology for bone lengthening is finally starting to expand further. Where before it was just the long bones like the femur, tibia, and humerus, the same type of technically is being applied to the irregular bones of the torso aka the vertebrate bones. We became aware of this unique form of bone lengthening after finding at least two sources where this new type of bone growth was talked about.

• EXCLUSIVE: Boy, 6, with scoliosis is first in New York area to get magnetic spine lengthening treatment
• Boy, 11, grows six inches in height after surgeons inserted MAGNETS into his twisted spine to stretch it out

It may seem like a stretch for the 2nd source to say that a boy grew 6 full inches from using magnets to stretch out his curved spine but the pictures seems to show that he did indeed get just that. We remember reading about a similar story about another boy last year who got a similar type of treatment. Magnet implants were placed into his leg bones to stretch out the bones from using E&M fields which were applied noninvasively.

Now, there is this technology. It turns out that the MAGEC Spine Lengthening device is a type of magnetic rod inserted into the spine and then slowly lengthened from passing some level of magnetic force to the rods, stretching the rods out.

The First Story – It was published just a few days ago in August of 2014. An orthopedic surgeon named Dr. Michael Vitale says the technology is ‘a game-changer. The 6 year old boy getting the surgery is a Jeremiah Knowlton from Allendale, NJ. Quoted from the article…

“To correct his scoliosis, Jeremiah first had surgery in April to implant an adjustable rod in his spine. In that surgery alone, Vitale was able to reduce his spine curvature from 72 degrees to about 20 degrees — a 50-degree correction, when only 30 degrees were expected….At last week’s first lengthening procedure Vitale took the hand-held MAGEC device and glided it over Jeremiah’s back so it synced with the rod and could pull it 5 millimeters. It took just a few minutes. Jeremiah will have the noninvasive procedure — which is done to keep up with normal spine growth and maintain the curve correction — every three months until he’s a teen”

It seems that it wasn’t until Feb of this year that the MAGEC device was approved by the FDA, but had already been used in 24 countries and helped so far around 750 children with scoliosis problems.

The Second Story – This was published around April of this year (2014) about this boy named Thaine Marston. His parents found out about the therapy called the Magnetic Expansion Control treatment. Over a span of 18 months, the device increased his height by 6 full inches. As explained by the article…

“MAGEC works by inserting an adjustable magnetic growing rod into the patient’s spine which can then be controlled by an external remote control….The rod is then lengthened by magnets outside the body which communicate with the magnets under his skin gradually straightening the spine“

The original doctor was a Consultant paediatric spinal surgeon Masood Shafafy.

The entire operation took a full 5 hours, but the hospital stay was around 6 days. After that, the patient/Thaine was back on his feet. He would eventually go from 4′ 9″ to 5′ 3″. As Thaine continues to grow, surgeons can continue to straighten his spine. All they have to do is put an external magnet to his back and slowly stretch out the magnet. However, to lengthen the magnets, you have to go back to the hospital every 6 weeks. 

What does the MAGEC treatment imply to us as normal people who want to be taller?

Not much, but it is a great indication just how fast biomedical technology and innovation is going these days. Not only that, when I looked at the website which is designing and selling the MAGEC Device, I found out that they are the same company that is selling the PRECICE Limb Lengthening Device, called ELLIPSE Technology. If you guys remember, the PRECICE Internal aka Intramedullary Nail was the device that was patented and designed by Dror Paley and only had been FDA Approved maybe 2 years ago, when the website was first started. Refer to either the MMT Forums or the Limb Lengthening Forums for much more information about the PRECICE Device.

When I look at the MAGEC and the PRECICE, it seems that both of the devices work on a very simple concept on how the technology works (which is what both the MAGEC and the PRECICE really are). The metal rod is made from a metal alloy that is not allergic when placed in the human body, it won’t be attacked by the patient’s own immune system, it is non-biodegradable. It is also lightweight but very strong, withstanding lateral forces which might bend it and/or break it.

I am NOT sure whether the PRECICE limb lengthening metal rods works on the magnetic force concept but the MAGEC metal rod stretched out by the magnets inside. Like the one’s developed by Dror Paley, you will of course still need at least two surgeries, one to pu tin the rods and securely fasten the rods into place on the bone so that the rods don’t shift and move around. The 2nd surgery is to remove the rods once the bones grow during normal natural to the adult size.

What makes the MAGEX is revolutionary is where the surgeons don’t have to go into the developing boy with scoliosis’s back every 6 month for more invasive surgery to correct for the spine curvature as the boy is still growing taller and their spines grow more curved. The non-invasive approach saves on time, money, and effort to make the growth of the spines more natural.

Does DHEA Dehydroepiandrosterone Help People Grow Taller and Increase Height?

One of the regular readers of the site asked us whether the compound known as Dehydroepiandrosterone would have the benefit of increasing a person’s height. I personally have never done much research on this compound, but I do know about its intended effects based on the Body Building forums and other people talking about it for muscle mass gains.

Years, ago Tyler had said that the compound would in fact have a negative effects on growth. The post was “New Growth Spurt by inhibiting DHEA?”. The study referenced would be “DHEA suppresses longitudinal bone growth by acting directly at growth plate through estrogen receptors“. In that post, he argued that there was a 2nd study that showed that by using a type of compound known as ACE Inhibitor, it would lower the level of DHEA in older men. Certain cheese types with this bacteria known as Lactobacillus helveticus is supposed to be a good easy way to obtain a form of ACE Inhibitor.

That is Tyler’s arguement on the effects of DHEA. However, there are a few claims on the internet which claim that DHEA is supposed to help with height increase. The main source to these claims was some guy named Ray Peat. His claim on getting 1.5 Inches of height from using it, as well as many other benefits was something that many people talked about. It would be referenced even in the LSJL Forums. Refer to the thread “46 year old man grows 1.5 inches taller while testing DHEA.“. I don’t know anything about this Ray Peat guy or anything he wrote but most people say that Peat would not try to lie or scam people. He has some crazy claims but he is being genuinely honest about those assessments.

Supposedly…

• His wisdom teeth which was being impacted rotated
• He gained 1.5 inches in height
• His waist shrunk
• One of his moles dropped off
• Gray hair reversed to younger hair color

The PubMed studies that are referenced have said this about DHEA…

• It has similar effects like HGH, where it can sort of make the body act younger
• There is a sort of reversal of age phenomena with this compound
• It is supposed to have beneficial effects on depression and cognitive function
• It increased the level of sexual energy in men who have low libidos
• It seems to have inflammatory inhibitory effects, and has some benefit towards the symptoms of arthritis.

My Personal Educated Guess

This compound that both Tyler and others talk about, seem to be on the surface have contradicting information. Tyler says it inhibits growth, while other people say it promots growth. How can such a compound exist?

It actually makes a lot of sense, when you remember that HGH therapy makes young kids reach bone maturity faster. This compound known as DHEA is just like HGH.

So why & how did this Ray Peat guy end up taller at the age of 46 from taking DHEA?

DHEA seems to lead to bone growth, but only in the form of bone mineral density (BMD) increasing. This is similar to HGH. If an older person took HGH, they would notice a BMD increase as well.

Most people who are in their 40s are already starting to loss height from poor posture and low BMD. It is actually shown that low BMD levels in bones will not just cause osteoporosis but also height loss in later in life. Japanese women is especially prone to this. When I visited Japan a few years ago, I lost count on the number of older Japanese women I saw who had completely hunched backs or curved spines, due to a diet of low Calcium and VItamin D. If you took compounds that could reverse that bone mineral density loss, the lost height can be gotten back.

Remember: I like the readers to remember the one story about the women who took Vitamin K2 at mid-age (58 years old) and ended up 4 cms taller too. (Refer to “Increase Height And Grow Taller Using Vitamin K2 aka Menaquinone (Important!)”)

What most likely happened to Ray Peat is that he got back some of the height he lost due to getting older.

Questions Answered

So does DHEA have benefits for looking and feeling younger? – There seems to be enough PubMed studies which validate this idea. You get a boost in sexual desire, energy, youthful look, etc.

Does taking DHEA make a person taller? – Similar to HGH, it might if the person has already suffered height loss from BMD decreases due to older age, and poor posture. If you are a teenager, or early 20s, it probably won’t work on you.

Does DHEA help with depression and cognitive functions? – There is so far some evidence for this. Do a search on PubMed about the effects.

Does DHEA have a bad or good effect on the growth plates? – It seems to make young bones reach bone maturity faster. In the long run, it has a negative effect. It increases the level of testosterone in the body system, so if you are young enough, you will actually reach puberty faster and ultimately end up shorter in adult height.

Like progesterone and other estrogen stimulating/increasing chemicals out there, DHEA seems to increase the level of estrogen in the body. Increases in estrogen is correlated to increases in BMD. That is why you find that for women who go into menopause, where estrogen production is dropped almost completely and grandmothers start to get facial hair like moustaches, the onset of osteoporosis goes up dramatically.

Conclusion

DHEA is not good for the body for height increase in the long term. There is a small minority of people where DHEA would make them taller, by increasing bone mineral density which would fix their osteoporosis likelihood and maybe improve their posture and spinal curvature. It has similar effects as HGH, where the older person taking it will have some age-reversal effects to them.

Only if you are in your 40-60s, have low BMD, and suffer from some level of spinal curvature will the DHEA have height increasing effects.