Are Sports Supplements Safe for Teens?
Recently, a 16-year-old patient came in for a sports physical and asked me about creatine supplements. He was starting to lift weights for strength and wanted help building more muscle. His dad had been a professional athlete and had used creatine as an adult, but wisely suggested his son ask a doctor before starting the supplement.
I was glad he came to discuss his health and training with me! Adolescents who use nutritional supplements might get their information from parents, friends, coaches, or the internet. Some advice they hear may be sound, but some may not. Adolescents’ brains and bodies are different than adults’, plus they’re still growing and experiencing pubertal changes.
While exercise is a great thing for nearly everyone, nutritional supplements aren’t the safest nor healthiest way to achieve athletic goals. There’s a long list of banned substances in competitive sports. However, there are also “legal” dietary supplements promoted as performance-enhancing. But just because the supplements are considered “legal” doesn’t mean that they can’t be harmful to an adolescent’s body.
As a pediatrician, a notable concern I have with supplements is that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate them as tightly as medications. That means the amount of supplement in each serving is often inconsistent and may contain additional harmful substances.
Here are some common nutritional supplements that athletes ask about:
Protein often gets a lot of attention as an important part of an athlete’s diet. It’s true that protein helps build muscle, but a well-rounded diet typically provides plenty of protein for active adolescents. Protein supplements or powders aren’t recommended, as extra protein isn’t used efficiently by the body. Excess protein can also cause problems with certain organs, such as the kidneys, as the body tries to process it. Using whey protein supplements may worsen a teen’s acne.
Creatine is marketed as a way to improve exercise performance and increase muscle mass. Creatine naturally occurs in our bodies and is found in red meat and seafood. As a supplement, it’s in powdered form, often added to shakes or smoothies.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the use of creatine in anyone under the age of 18, because:
- Creatine’s safety isn’t known in adolescents, including its short-term and long-term effects.
- Creatine causes the body to hold onto extra water and can lead to kidney or liver problems.
Caffeine is common in our diets and is found in tea, coffee, and sodas. While many young people drink caffeine daily, it’s not healthy in high quantities. Unfortunately, some teens are using caffeine as a supplement to enhance sports performance. Doing this can risk kids developing:
- Headaches
- Tremors
- Dehydration
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Higher than normal heart rate and blood pressure
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Seizures
These are serious risks, so it’s worth monitoring your kids’ caffeine intake and making sure they aren’t supplementing.
Energy drinks with caffeine are becoming more common and are often marketed to teens. They’re considered “dietary supplements” and aren’t regulated by the FDA, so the caffeine content of these drinks can be many times higher than sodas.
Vitamin and Iron supplements are usually not needed for teens eating a generally healthy diet. While taking an over-the-counter multivitamin daily is fine, it’s not safe to take extra iron unless lab testing indicates a need for it and a doctor guides the dosing.
As a parent, listening to your child’s questions about using athletic supplements with empathy is important. Teens likely have many influences encouraging elevated sports performance and a muscular appearance. As pediatricians, we’re always happy to help inform teens so they can make the best decisions about their bodies.
So, what’s the pediatrician’s answer to how to safely enhance athletic performance? Eat healthy foods, sleep enough, hydrate with water, and train well under the supervision of a coach.
Resources For Parents and Teens
The American Academy of Pediatrics
Performance Enhancing Supplements
Sports Nutrition for Busy Families and Busy Lifestyles
Featured Author
Dr. Frost's biography reads: I joined the pediatrics team at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento in 2018 to help kids thrive. Outpatient pediatrics is a unique and rewarding medical specialty. I enjoy being able to foster long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing care in both health and illness as children grow. I believe that it is important to truly partner in health care with patients and their families; this allows not only for the best possible care but also for me to continue to learn and grow as a pediatrician. A professional interest of mine is to support breastfeeding families as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). During my medical training, I also pursued a degree in public health/health promotion - a field which applies to every patient visit in pediatrics. Yet, some of my most relevant experiences as a pediatrician has come from my two children, who have “trained” me first-hand on the challenges of parenthood and in finding the balance between evidence-based recommendations and reality to achieve optimal childhood growth and development. Being part of Kaiser Permanente allows physicians and patients access to integrated care and resources that are not readily available with other health systems. Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to preventive care is also an important piece of my personal care philosophy. I am proud to be part of the team at South Sacramento and I look forward to getting to know you and your family.
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