Teenagers compete in an increasingly competitive athletic environment. With so many supplement options available that claim to help improve athletic performance, many teens wonder if it would help them. Most 15-year olds would benefit from working with a sports dietitian before considering any kind of supplement for improved athletic performance.
Pre-workout supplements are generally not recommended for teenagers. They should learn how to fuel appropriately for exercise with food instead. In some cases a 15-year old may benefit from taking a pre-workout, but only if recommended by both a doctor and a dietitian.
Read on for more information about what is in pre-workout, the benefits and risks of taking pre-workout, and how to determine if a teenager would benefit from using supplements.
What is in Pre-Workout?
The term “pre-workout” could refer to a couple of things. There are pre-workout supplements that contain a blend of different things that claim to help with performance. However, pre-workout can really refer to any kind of supplement taken before exercise with the goal of improving performance.
Most pre-workout supplements contain some combination of the following:
- Creatine
- Branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s)
- Caffeine
- Artificial sweeteners
- Sugar alcohols
- Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB)
- Nitrates
- Beta-alanine
Unfortunately, you can’t always trust what is on the supplement label to know what is in the product. There is really no regulation of the supplement industry- which means that basically anyone can put anything on the market without it being accurately labeled, or tested for safety and effectiveness.
Supplement companies can choose to have their products tested by a third-party to make sure that they are safe and contain everything on the label and nothing else. On top of that, there are a couple certifications that athletes should look for if they are going to use a supplement.
If they have a label from Informed Choice for sport or the NSF Certified Sport, they are not going to have any banned substances in them. You can also look online for a list of products that are approved by these institutions.
Once again, just because it is approved still doesn’t mean it is appropriate for a teenager to be taking! In general, supplement research is done on healthy adults and isn’t applicable to children and teenagers. Ask your doctor and work with a dietitian before taking a supplement of any kind.
Risks and Benefits of Pre-Workout for Teens
There are some pretty severe risks of pre-workout because we just don’t know a whole lot about their long-term effects and especially their impact on teenagers.
On top of that, there could be really dangerous substances in supplements that could be harmful to your health and affect your ability to compete!
Different components of a pre-workout supplement do different things for the body. There are pros and cons to each. For most people, the pros don’t really outweigh the cons, although a sports dietitian and a doctor can help determine if certain supplements might be helpful for your individual situation.
Let’s take a look at some of the common ingredients in pre-workout supplements and what they do for the body, along with risks associated with taking them.
Creatine
This is a very common one, and actually has some pretty good research supporting its use in adults. Creatine is involved in making energy for muscle contractions.
Creatine is actually made in the body, and also is found in some of the foods we eat. Supplementing with Creatine can increase those stores and may help athletes that are involved in exercise with high intensity spurts.
On the other hand, Creatine could be harmful to teenagers and might even be associated with kidney issues. Taking supplemental Creatine can also cause water retention, nausea, headaches, cramps, and muscle stiffness.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Taking BCAA supplements is likely unnecessary and could be dangerous. BCAA’s are amino acids that your body needs to ingest, but most of the time we get plenty in the foods that we eat.
Caffeine
For many people, caffeine decreases the perceived exertion of a workout, which might help them go longer before feeling fatigue and increasing alertness. However, that extra “energy,” as many people refer to it, can also be achieved by eating carbohydrates.
Caffeine intake can also lead to feeling irritable, shakiness, headaches, irregular heartbeats, stress on the adrenal system, dehydration, trouble sleeping, and more.
Additionally, the body can become accustomed to caffeine and you might not experience a strong effect after a while. We don’t know a ton about the long-term effects of caffeine and I don’t usually recommend it to teenagers to aid in exercise.
Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Alcohols
These are often used to decrease the caloric intake of a supplement, but I would argue that athletes need calories and real sugar before a workout! Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols can also cause digestive issues for some people.
Can Teenagers Take Pre-Workout?
Pre-workout supplements are not designed for teenagers and should only be taken if recommended by and supervised by a doctor and dietitian.
Before taking any kind of supplement, teenagers should take a look at their diet and work with a dietitian to improve their energy level and athletic performance using real food. You will likely find such an improvement by fueling properly for exercise that you won’t have any more need for supplementation!
Is it OK to Take Pre-Workout Everyday?
Even if your doctor and dietitian have told you it is appropriate for you to take a supplement before a workout, that does not necessarily mean it is safe to take every day. Some specific supplements might have a more set routine to follow in order to see a benefit, but a lot of supplements can cause issues if they are being taken every single day.
If you are currently taking some form of a pre-workout, ask a dietitian about how often it should be taken.
Should Teenagers Eat Before a Workout?
The answer to this question is ABSOLUTELY YES! Eating before exercise is essential to performance and will be much more beneficial than taking a pre-workout supplement.
Athletes should experiment with what they eat before exercise. The closer you get to a workout, the more you will want to focus on carbohydrates because they will provide you with quick energy to power your exercise. Foods that contain a lot of fiber, protein, or fat can slow digestion and cause you to feel sluggish, bloated, and uncomfortable.
Here are a few options for high carbohydrate snacks you could try before exercise! Make sure you work on your fueling routine in the off-season and don’t try something new on the day of game or competition because your body might not respond well to some things.
- Applesauce
- Banana
- Sports drinks
- Fruit smoothies
- Dried fruit
- Fruit bar or fruit leather
- Fruit snacks
- Pretzels or crackers
- Toast with jam
- Bagel or english muffin
During long workouts, extra carbohydrates might need to be consumed during your workout as well. Sports drinks are an easy way of quickly consuming more energy without upsetting your stomach!
Eating before a workout will have a huge impact on performance, but teens should remember to do other basic things to help improve their performance too. This includes stretching, warming up, cooling down, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and more!
Summary
It is so important for teenagers to understand the dangers of all supplements, not just pre-workout supplements. Many athletes have found themselves in the unfortunate situation where they take something that has hidden ingredients that harm their health or get them banned from competing.
Since teenagers are still in a period of growth, supplements can have negative effects on this process and are generally not recommended for anyone under 18 years old. I highly recommend checking with your doctor before starting any supplement and working with a dietitian to determine if a supplement will be beneficial and safe for you.
Instead of relying on a pre-workout supplement, teenagers should focus on food as their pre-workout fuel. Consuming carbohydrates regularly and especially in the hours leading up to exercise will help athletes feel more energized and focused and can improve performance. Also fueling during and after exercise will help them get the most out of their workouts!
Resources
Anzilotti A. Sports supplements. Kidshealth.org. Published November 2019.
Fetters KA, Todd CL. What are pre-workout supplements and do you need them? Self.com. Published July 26, 2021.
Landes E, Hill A. Should you take pre-workout supplements? Healthline.com. Updated December 13, 2021.
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