What supplements can young athletes use?

Young athletes aspiring to achieve high results require an individual approach to their training and energy needs. The availability of a wide range of special products for athletes to use in conjunction with their diet raises the question of whether young athletes can use supplements? From what age should supplements be taken? Are they safe for young and growing organisms? Read our article today and you will learn more about the issues:

Who are the young athletes?

Young people striving to achieve sports results constitute a very diverse group in terms of the level of biological maturity. This means that there is no universal approach to sports development and training loads. In different disciplines, the pace of specialization and the age of reaching peak sports capabilities differ significantly. Therefore, each decision regarding sports development, changing training loads, energy requirements in the diet and possible supplement intake in young adepts should be considered and made individually.

Among young athletes, the American Pediatric Association distinguishes the following age categories:

Childhood (2 to 12 years of age)

In the case of children who train, during this period they undergo intensive physical and motor development. Physical activity should focus on the comprehensive development of movement skills, games and general development exercises.

Adolescence (ages 12 to 21)

The American College of Pediatrics divides the teenage years into 3 subcategories:

• Early teenage years (ages 11-14)

  Children are beginning to experience the first changes associated with puberty. Characteristic for teenage athletes is a growth spurt and hormonal changes. Increased physical activity should include both general development training and introduction to more specialized sports exercises.

• Intermediate adolescence (ages 15-17)

  This stage of adolescence is a time of continued physical development for young athletes. Young athletes begin to achieve more advanced skills in their disciplines, and training becomes more specialized and intense.

• Late Teenage (18-21 years old)

  This is the time for a young athlete when he reaches full physical maturity. Training is already highly specialized, with an emphasis on maximizing sports achievements and professional preparation of the young body for a potential professional career.

For adolescent athletes, not only age is important, but also gender.

Girls

The puberty process begins earlier in girls than in boys, resulting in an earlier onset of the growth spurt. Early puberty causes girls to have higher iron requirements after menstruation due to losses associated with menstrual bleeding. Sex hormones secreted during the menstrual cycle are sensitive to limited energy availability, which can lead to impaired bone growth due to reduced estrogen secretion in adolescents.

Boys

In boys, puberty begins later, but this process is also accompanied by a growth spurt and increased hormonal activity in the teenager's body.

Energy needs of active children and adolescents

Nutrition for young athletes plays a key role in ensuring they receive the appropriate amount of energy and nutrients necessary for training, muscle growth and overall development.

The energy that must be supplied for exercise comes mainly from carbohydrates and fats. It is important that the daily diet of a young athlete is based on full-value sources of these macronutrients. These include oatmeal, wholemeal or graham bread, rice, groats, wholemeal pasta, fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, vegetable oils.

Before and after training, if necessary, it is worth reaching for products that quickly provide energy, supporting exercise capacity and regeneration. These include white bread, white rice and pasta, fruit, jam, honey. In the regeneration process, an important role is played by the right amount of protein and carbohydrates. For this reason, it is worth considering in the diet: yogurt, cottage cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella, meat, fish, tofu, legumes, eggs.

In order to avoid infections and not interrupt the training cycle, it is also necessary to take care of the immunity of the young athlete. Intensively training teenagers are exposed to mineral deficiencies. It is important to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Nutrition for young athletes. Can they be used?

Young athletes, especially those aged 10-18, must first and foremost remember that the foundation is a healthy, balanced diet rich in natural nutrients. Supplements can be helpful, but they should be complementary, not a replacement for full-value meals. When in doubt, it is always worth consulting a sports dietitian or sports medicine physician to ensure the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements.

At what age can you take supplements?

Early teenage years (11-14 years)

In the case of younger adolescents (11-14 years old), supplementation should be limited to medically justified situations. As a preventive measure, vitamin D supplementation is recommended in the fall and winter, regardless of age, and omega-3 fatty acids if the diet does not include regular consumption of oily sea fish. Older athletes in this age group (13-14 years old) who train for longer periods (over 75 minutes) may benefit from sports drinks that provide carbohydrates during training.

Intermediate Adolescence (15-17 years)

In the intermediate teenage years (15-17 years old) training loads are usually higher, so you can consider introducing energy gels, carbohydrate bars and sports drinks to your diet to provide the necessary energy. Supplements that improve exercise capacity are not recommended for athletes under 18 years of age.

Late Teen/Junior (18-21 years old)

In the late teens (18-21 years old), athletes can benefit from a wider range of dietary supplements. For example, creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, beetroot juice, and tart cherry juice can all help maximize athletic performance.

In some cases, especially when athletes have difficulty getting enough carbohydrates and protein in their diet, you may want to consider supplementing with protein and carbohydrate supplements. However, it should be remembered that natural sources of these ingredients always take precedence.

Safe supplementation. What to consider when choosing supplements for young athletes?

In the world of sports, there are still high-profile cases of violations of anti-doping regulations related to the use of prohibited substances. Even unintentional consumption can lead to serious consequences, including a long-term disqualification. Against this background, one of the main challenges in the dietary supplement market is to ensure their high quality. Unfortunately, the composition declared by some manufacturers does not always correspond to the actual content of the product. In order to minimize the dangers resulting from the use of unverified supplements and nutrients, it is recommended to choose products from reputable manufacturers who subject their products to appropriate controls. It is always necessary to make sure that the nutritional supplements for young athletes are suitable for people of the age at which they are intended to be used, taking into account their developmental needs and the impact on health.

Special caution should be taken with supplements advertised as increasing testosterone levels (so-called testosterone boosters) and pre-workouts. These products often contain prohibited substances and may have a negative effect on the developing organism.

Nutrition for young athletes - summary

Supplementation for young athletes should be tailored to their individual needs and stage of development. The most important thing is to prioritize a healthy, balanced diet rich in natural nutrients. The use of supplements by young athletes to maximize results should play a complementary role only. A teenager can use selected supplements provided that they pay attention to their quality to avoid the risk of consuming substances that are dangerous to them.