Skip to content
Many people start their adventure with body shaping and the gym when they are teenagers. In this situation, many parents or guardians face a dilemma regarding the use of dietary supplements by teenagers to support the body in achieving the desired results. Today we will look at this issue and answer the question of whether people under 18 can safely take supplements and vitamins for teenagers, and if so, which ones.
A young body and strength training and body building
A teenager's body is different from an adult's body - it is not yet fully formed and there are numerous changes taking place in it, including hormonal ones, which determine its appearance and functioning.
Peer pressure and, above all, idealized beauty standards imposed by social media can make young people want to look for quick solutions and shortcuts. It should be noted, however, that a 16-year-old's body will not, in most cases, look like a 20- or 25-year-old's body.
You can start working on your figure while still in adolescence, but you should remember that the effects will be proportional to the level of development of the entire body and this cannot be skipped.
Where to start?
For both adults and teenagers, the most important thing when working on your figure is a proper diet and physical activity. A well-balanced, wholesome diet is essential, because the maturing body is still developing intensively and needs a full set of nutrients for this purpose.
The problem of many young people is a diet based on highly processed food, full of unhealthy fats and sugar. With this type of diet, even the most intensive efforts in the gym will not bring the expected results. Therefore, the first step should be balanced and healthy meals. It is worth starting physical activity with general development training, which strengthens the entire body and will be a great base for further development of muscle tissue in the future.
Supplementation for teenagers
When choosing dietary supplements for teenagers, it is important to remember that not all products available on the market are suitable for young people. Testosterone boosters or growth hormones should definitely not be used at this age[1].
You can reach for vitamin products that supplement vitamins that are key to health and provide effective support for people who do sports. The second group of supplements that can be used by teenagers are protein supplements. These products help provide the body with the right amount of protein, which is the building block of muscle tissue. It is worth choosing whey protein isolates due to their quick absorption.
Importantly, protein supplements should not be treated as a substitute for healthy protein in the diet, but only as a supplement to this ingredient.
Another suggestion is protein-carbohydrate gainer supplements, which provide not only proteins but also energy in the form of carbohydrates and essential minerals and vitamins. Young people can also use supplements containing creatine, which increases physical performance and helps build muscle mass.
Vitamins for Physically Active Teenagers. What to Remember?
Strength training is becoming increasingly popular among teenagers, but intense physical activity places high demands on the body. During this period, when a young athlete's body is still developing, proper supplementation of vitamins and minerals can support both health and training effectiveness. B vitamins, such as B6 and B12, play a key role in energy metabolism and muscle recovery. Vitamin D, often deficient in our latitude, supports not only bone health but also muscle strength. Vitamins for teenagers who strength train should contain adequate levels of vitamin C and E - natural antioxidants that help with recovery after exercise. However, supplementation should always be under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian to avoid the risk of excess of certain ingredients, which can be just as harmful as their deficiency.
[1] Tiwari K. Supplement (mis)use in adolescents. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2020 Aug;32(4):471-475. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000912. PMID: 32520823.
[products=1337,1542,1484]
