Height has long been a coveted trait to possess among men and women alike. After all, who could argue that a lengthier stature more readily projects capability and confidence? But for these record breakers, being tall has been nothing but a daily nuisance. Check out these 5 nature-defying men, who are the tallest in the world.

1. Zhang Juncai – 7 ft 11 ¼ in
Officially declared “the tallest man in China” in November of 2010, Zhang is 53 years old today. He was born in the Shanxi Province of China to normal sized parents, yet somehow ended up rocketing to almost 8 feet tall. He was also friends with China’s tallest woman, Yao Defen, who reached a height of 7 ft 8 in due to a tumour in her pituitary gland that messed with her levels of the human growth hormone.

2. Dharmendra Pratap Singh – 8 ft 0.7 in
37-year-old Dharmendra Singh from India has been very open about his struggles with being approximately 8-foot-1. Along with never having had a girlfriend and feeling like he will never find a woman tall enough for him, Dharmendra has had a tough time finding suitable work. He reluctantly works at a local amusement park, taking pictures with patrons for money. Most of Singh’s family is of normal height, but he did have one great-grandfather who grew to 7 ft 2 in so there’s a good chance his genetics have played some sort of role in his towering stature.

3. Morteza Mehrzad – 8 ft 1 in
A Paralympic sitting volleyball player, Morteza Mehrzad was born in Iran in 1987. He was diagnosed with acromegaly at age 16, a rare condition involving excess production of human growth hormone. He is the tallest Paralympian player in history and is the second tallest man in the world.

4. Brandon Takioullah – 8 ft 1 in
38-year-old Brandon Takioullah ties with Morteza Mehrzad as the second tallest man in the world and is the former Guinness World Record holder for having the largest feet in the world. Takioullah grew at a normal rate until age 13, when he suddenly and inexplicably began an exponential growth spurt. It was later deemed to be due to another pituitary gland tumor. Takioullah is an actor and has appeared in films such as Chocolat, Apnee, and Alad’2.

5. Sultan Kosen – 8 ft 2.8 in
Another tumor resulting in wildly unchecked amounts of growth hormone, Sultan Kosen is formally the tallest man in the world. Kosen has to walk with a cane due to his condition, which he received treatment for in 2012 to halt his growing (it worked). He is married to normal sized woman, Merve Dibo (she’s 5”7), and has said that some benefits of being tall include “helping his family change light bulbs” and his “ability see long distances”.