Teens & Supplements

TEENAGERS AND MUSCLE-BUILDING SUPPLEMENTS

I have recently been working with a youth football team whose ages range from 13 -17 years. I was surprised by the number of them who wanted to know the best supplements for building muscle ‘fast’! My answer to them was to be very cautious about which nutrients they might use as they might alter the natural course of their physical development. The bodies of teenagers are going through incredible physiological changes. Bones and muscles are still growing and hormones are starting to work into full gear.

As far as products go, my advice would be to stick with products that serve to supply ‘support’ to the natural growth process. These would include the following;

EFAS

Taking 2-3 tablespoons of essential fatty acids per day will provide a teenager’s body with all it needs to help optimize natural hormone production, muscle repair and growth.

WHEY PROTEIN

Supplementing the diet with 50-75 grams of pure whey per day will help to ensure that muscles have plenty of amino acid building blocks to work with to keep up with the natural hormones and exercise-induced growth demands.

QUALITY MULTIVITAMIN AND MINERAL

Every natural growth process in the body relies on sufficient levels of a variety of vitamins and minerals. Taking a quality multivitamin 2-3 times a day will help to ensure that the increased needs in a teenager’s body are met, and muscle development is maximized.

L-GLUTAMINE

This fantastic amino acid is considered ‘conditionally essential’ during periods of great physical stress. Puberty represents just such a time. Supplementing with 5-10 grams of L-Glutamine per day will support muscle repair and growth, the immune system and other body tissue development.

ANTIOXIDANTS

A good antioxidant will help a young body recuperate and get rid of any muscle-halting metabolic by-products that might be produced during this time.

In conclusion and a final note – I would never suggest a teenager should take any pro-hormone products. They are completely unnecessary as the young body is doing a much better job than they ever could. Also, they may actually work ‘against’ the body by suppressing the natural growth hormone production.

Work hard, play hard, eat well and be sensible with supplements. Drink lots of water and watch the body grow!