Being Shorter in Height May Protect You from This Health Problem

Written by Devon Andre
Published on

height and varicose veinsIf you consider yourself shorter in height, you may experience particular challenges in life, such as being unable to reach items on a shelf or not being able to see past a crowd of people. Sure, being shorter has its downfalls, but it also has its positives. Did you know that being short is linked with a reduced risk of developing varicose veins?

A study found that with every four additional inches of height, the risk of varicose veins increases by 12 percent.

Researcher Dr. Erik Ingelsson explained, “We have pretty robust evidence that height is actually causally related through genetics with an increased risk of having varicose veins.”

Varicose veins is typically a benign condition, but for some, they may experience symptoms such as heaviness in the legs, swelling, and some pain.

For the study, the researchers looked at 413,000 individuals over the age of 40 along with genetically screening 337,000 participants, which included 9,700 with varicose veins.

The researchers confirmed known risk factors for varicose veins including age, gender, obesity, pregnancy, and a history of deep vein thrombosis. When the researchers sorted participants by height, they uncovered that taller individuals were 74 percent more likely to develop varicose veins.

They suggest that being taller puts additional stress on the veins and makes it more difficult to return the blood to the heart.
Although you cannot change your height, you can alter other risk factors that may up your risk of varicose veins, such as controlling your weight or wearing compression socks to aid in the return of blood to the heart.

Cardiologist Dr. Nieca Goldberg concluded, “In cases where these veins are irritated, itching, infected or contributing to swelling, you really should see a vascular specialist because you may be a candidate for a vein procedure to help eliminate the varicose veins.”

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On any matter relating to your health or well-being, please check with an appropriate health professional. No statement herein is to be construed as a diagnosis, treatment, preventative, or cure for any disease, disorder or abnormal physical state. The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Foods and Drugs Administration or Health Canada. Dr. Marchione and the doctors on the Bel Marra Health Editorial Team are compensated by Bel Marra Health for their work in creating content, consulting along with formulating and endorsing products.

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