Protein shakes and supplements are designed for adult use, but that hasn’t stopped teen athletes from employing them as well. According to an article published in 2012 in the journal “Pediatrics,” a survey of almost 3,000 adolescents revealed that more than one-third of them had used protein powders or shakes. Despite that degree of prevalence, protein products pose health risks for teens that can range from mild to severe.
Teen girls need the same amount of protein as women. According to the Institute of Medicine, a teen girl needs about 46 grams of protein daily, and a teen boy needs about 52 grams. Odds are good, however, that you’re consuming more than that amount if you’re an American teen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that most Americans eat more protein than their bodies are able to use. Teens who drink protein shakes and consistently exceed their daily protein requirements can experience the negative consequences of too much protein, including dehydration, kidney stress, calcium loss and weight gain.
According to a “Consumer Reports” article published in 2013, many protein shakes contain hormones that can cause negative side effects for teens. Those effects may include breast development for males and facial hair growth for females. Protein shakes and other dietary supplements have been designed for and tested on adults before hitting the market, so their effects on teens who are still growing and developing are unknown. For that reason, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics does not recommend that any teens take protein supplements.
The “Consumer Reports” investigation also indicated that some protein drinks offer more than what’s printed on their labels. Specifically, certain shakes have tested positive for traces of steroids and heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. For teens, those substances can bring about health problems, including fatigue, muscle pains or even death.
Although most teens have no need for protein shakes, some have special health issues that can improve as a result of treatment diets that include shakes and supplements. Teens who are severely underweight, for instance, may be able to gain healthfully with the aid of high-protein meal replacement shakes. Before a teen uses any type of protein shake or supplement, however, it’s important to get a doctor’s approval.
- Pediatrics: Muscle-Enhancing Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls and Boys
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes - Macronutrients
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Nutrition for Everyone - Protein
- Consumer Reports: Body-Building Supplements Pose Risks to Teen Athletes
- Framingham State University: Protein and the Teen Athlete
- About Kids' Health: Energy Drinks, Whey Protein and More
- Consumer Reports: What's in Your Protein Drink
- Oregon Health Authority: Heavy Metals and Your Health
- BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images