Are Sports Supplements Safe for Young Athletes?

Athletes want to perform their best. We know that nutrition and hydration are important factors for performance, but what about supplements?  

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate recommend an eating plan for everyone, requiring adequate daily amounts of calories, fluids, macronutrients, vitamins and minerals. Some supplements might enhance performance only when they are added to and not substituted for. However, even with proper nutrition, the results of taking a dietary sport supplement for exercise performance vary by level of training, intensity and duration of the activity, as well as conditions of the environment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not certify dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold. Third-party certification programs such as National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), or Informed Sport can help ensure the products meet health and safety standards and helps athletes make safer decisions when choosing sports supplements.

The use of sports supplements to increase exercise and athletic performance comes in a variety of forms including pills, liquids, powders and bars. Some common sports supplements are caffeine, creatine and protein.

Caffeine

Caffeine is often used in energy drinks for performance-enhancement effects. It is also found in caffeine pills and energy gels that contain carbohydrates and electrolytes. 

Many studies have shown that caffeine has consistently improved athletic performance when they ingest 3-6 milligrams per kilogram of body mass about 60 minutes before exercise. Studies show caffeine can reduce the perception of effort and pain during exercise and therefore improves endurance, strength and power in high intensity sports activities. Taking more is less likely to improve performance further and increases the risk of side effects including heart palpitations, high blood pressure, anxiety sleep problems and more.  

Creatine

Creatine is one of the most studied and widely used dietary supplements to enhance exercise and athletic performance. This supplement helps generate and supply the muscles with energy for short-term exercise. Supplementation with creatine over a long-term period can help with training adaptations and increased workloads.

Creatine supplements seem to be of little value for endurance athletes like distance runners and swimmers because these athletes do not depend on short-term bursts of energy. Creatine is reported to have short-term water retention and decreased urination which may result in bloating and temporary weight gain.

Protein

Protein is necessary to build, maintain and repair muscle. Exercise increases the breakdown of protein, after which protein production increases for up to a day or two.

Athletes must consider both quality and quantity to meet their protein needs.

Protein needs are based on a multitude of factors but young athletes typically need between 1.2-2.0 grams per kg of body weight daily spread throughout the day with balanced meals and snacks. Athletes should aim to get their protein throughout the day with foods such as beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts/seeds, and legumes. Consideration for protein supplements should be individualized and used if protein intake is difficult to meet through foods. Athletes at risk for inadequate protein intake includes athletes with poor appetite, disordered eating/eating disorder, vegetarian/vegans, or picky eaters.