Young athletes are in a crucial stage of development, where intensive training is combined with a body that is still growing. This requires a well considered nutritional approach: in addition to sufficient energy for training sessions and competitions, optimal support for growth and recovery is essential.
This combination often raises questions among parents, coaches, and support staff. What does a healthy and balanced diet look like? When is sports nutrition useful? And are supplements safe at a young age?
At Etixx, we believe that sustainable performance starts with a strong nutritional foundation, complemented by high quality and safe sports nutrition products when needed. This may include support through products such as Recovery Shake, Isotonic Drink, or Energy Sport Bar, tailored to the needs of young athletes.
In this blog, Dr Helene Schroé and Brecht D’hoe, dietitians and movement scientists affiliated with Ghent University, share their expertise. They explain the fundamentals of sports nutrition, clarify why supplements may be unnecessary at a young age, and provide practical tips to help young athletes optimally support their athletic development.
Guidelines for optimal performance,
growth and recovery
Sports nutrition is the application of nutritional knowledge to optimise an athlete’s dietary pattern so that performance, recovery and sport health are maximally supported. Because little research is available on sports nutrition in adolescents, most recommendations are largely based on adult guidelines (Desbrow et al., 2014). The core principles remain the same: adequate energy intake, a balanced distribution of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and attention to hydration.
Energy needs
in adolescent athletes
The main difference between adolescents and adults is the growth phase: young athletes require additional energy to support both sports performance and growth and physical development. During puberty, energy needs increase due to hormonal changes, an increase in fat free mass and a higher training load.
An energy deficit can lead to:
- delayed growth
- reduced performance
- increased injury risk
- hormonal problems such as menstrual disturbances
(Desbrow et al., 2014)
Research also shows that adolescents often fail to consume enough energy to meet these increased demands (Aerenhouts et al., 2011; Hannon et al., 2020).
Practical tip
In practice, this means that young athletes should eat sufficiently throughout the day. Three complete main meals and two to three snacks are essential, with extra attention to energy dense choices on training days.
Carbohydrates:
the primary fuel
Recommended intake
- Moderate activity: 5 to 7 g per kg body weight per day
- Very intensive training: 8 to 12 g per kg body weight per day
Because young people often combine multiple sports, it is essential to adjust their total energy and carbohydrate intake accordingly.
Practical tip
Young athletes should consume enough carbohydrates throughout the day from foods such as bread, breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes. These sources provide the energy needed for growth and athletic performance.
Additional timing strategies:
- Before training: carbohydrate rich snack (e.g. banana)
- During (>1 hour): isotonic drink
- After training: recovery snack (e.g. chocolate milk)
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Protein
for growth and recovery
In addition to supporting training adaptation, adolescents have an increased protein requirement for growth and development (Aerenhouts et al., 2011; Meyer et al., 2007).
Recommended intake
1.4 to 2.0 g per kg body weight per day (Hannon et al., 2020)
Example:
An athlete weighing 50 kg needs 70 to 100 g protein per day.
Studies show that adolescents generally achieve these amounts through their regular diet, meaning supplementation is usually unnecessary.
Timing and distribution
Protein intake should be:
- spread across approximately four eating moments per day
- include a portion before sleep
Practical tip
High-quality protein sources include dairy, meat, fish, eggs, legumes, and soy products (e.g. tofu).
Vegetarian and especially vegan athletes should pay extra attention to protein quality and variation.
Fat intake and energy balance
The fat requirements of young athletes are similar to those of adults and should represent 20 to 35 percent of total energy intake (Desbrow et al., 2014).
Because adolescents often require a higher energy intake, increasing healthy fats can be a practical strategy (Hannon et al., 2020).
Practical tip
Healthy fat sources include olive oil, margarine, avocado, nuts and seeds, peanut butter, and fatty fish such as salmon.
It is best to limit fried snacks, fatty meats, and processed products such as biscuits and chocolate.
Hydration for young athletes
Hydration is an essential component of sports nutrition. Young athletes are more vulnerable to dehydration due to physiological characteristics such as less efficient thermoregulation (Bergeron et al., 2015).
Monitoring hydration
A practical method:
- measure body weight before and after exercise
- 2% loss = significant dehydration
Practical tip
Drink sufficiently throughout the day, with water as the main beverage. Sports drinks are usually not necessary, but isotonic drinks can be useful for efforts longer than one hour. Avoid energy drinks that contain caffeine.
Supplements in young athletes: what is useful and what are the risks?
In general, young athletes do not need supplements. A food first approach remains essential (Desbrow et al., 2014).
Supplement use is discouraged because:
- often unnecessary
- limited scientific evidence
- potential health risks (e.g. contamination)
(Everett, 2025)
Common supplements
Protein supplements:
Usually unnecessary and should only be considered if intake is insufficient, with a preference for certified products (Aerenhouts et al., 2011; Hannon et al., 2020).
Creatine:
Appears safe but has limited research in adolescents and should only be used under professional supervision (Kreider et al., 2017; Everett, 2025).
Energy drinks:
Contain caffeine and stimulants, may cause sleep problems, hyperactivity and high blood pressure, and are strongly discouraged (Desbrow et al., 2014; Everett, 2025).
Other supplements:
Beta-alanine, nitrate and carnitine are discouraged due to a lack of evidence (Desbrow et al., 2014).
→ Discouraged due to lack of evidence
(Desbrow et al., 2014).
Micronutrients: when to consider supplementation?
In addition to the above, supplementation with certain micronutrients is sometimes applied. For young athletes, iron, calcium and vitamin D are important for energy metabolism, strong bones and recovery (Desbrow et al., 2014). Here as well, the priority is to optimise intake through regular nutrition: iron is found in meat, eggs, fish, whole grains and leafy green vegetables, while calcium is mainly present in dairy products. Sunlight plays a major role in vitamin D status, and vitamin D is also added to certain foods such as margarine. Only in cases of confirmed deficiencies, and in consultation with a physician and dietitian, should supplementation be considered.
Practical sports nutrition tips for parents and coaches of young athletes.
Below are some practical tips to optimally support young athletes from a sports nutrition perspective:
Below is an example of a daily schedule for a young football player
(15 years old, 50 kg, 176 cm)
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References
Aerenhouts, D., Deriemaeker, P., Hebbelinck, M., & Clarys, P. (2011). Energy and macronutrient intake in adolescent sprint athletes: A follow-up study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(1), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2010.521946
Bergeron, M. F. (2015). Hydration in the pediatric athlete: How to guide your patients. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 14(4), 288–293. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000179
Desbrow, B., McCormack, J., Burke, L. M., Cox, G. R., Fallon, K., Hislop, M., Logan, R., Marino, N., Sawyer, S. M., Shaw, G., Star, A., Vidgen, H., & Leveritt, M. (2014). Sports Dietitians Australia position statement: Sports nutrition for the adolescent athlete. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 24(5), 570–584. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0031
Everett, S. (2025). Optimizing performance nutrition for adolescent athletes: A review of dietary needs, risks, and practical strategies. Nutrients, 17(17), 2792. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172792
Hannon, M. P., Close, G. L., & Morton, J. P. (2020). Energy and macronutrient considerations for young athletes. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 42(6), 109–119. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000570
Jovanov, P., Đorđić, V., Obradović, B., Barak, O., Pezo, L., Marić, A., & Sakač, M. (2019). Prevalence, knowledge and attitudes towards using sports supplements among young athletes. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-019-0294-7
Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., … Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
Meyer, F., O’Connor, H., & Shirreffs, S. M. (2007). Nutrition for the young athlete. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(sup1), S73–S82. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410701607338
Whitehouse G, Lawlis T. Protein supplements and adolescent athletes: A pilot study investigating the risk knowledge, motivations and prevalence of use. Nutr Diet. 2017 Nov;74(5):509-515. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12367. Epub 2017 Jul 26. PMID: 28748643.
