Kidneys generally stop growing in length around the age of 20, although internal changes and volume adjustments can continue much later in life.
The growth and development of kidneys are most rapid during childhood and adolescence. While the kidneys typically reach their maximum length in early adulthood (around age 20), the internal structures and volume can still undergo changes.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
- Childhood and Adolescence: Kidneys grow significantly during these stages.
- Early Adulthood (Around 20 years old): Linear growth (length) typically ceases.
- Adulthood (Up to around 50 years old): Total kidney volume remains relatively stable. This is due to a balance between declining cortical volume (the outer layer of the kidney) and a compensatory increase in medullary volume (the inner layer of the kidney).
- Later Adulthood (After 50 years old): Total kidney volume tends to decrease with age.
Therefore, while the kidneys effectively stop growing in length around age 20, they continue to undergo internal volume adjustments until about age 50, after which they begin to decrease in overall size due to aging.
