🍎 Why Nutrition Is Especially Important for Young Athletes
The energy needs of a growing body are higher than those of an adult — especially when a child or teenager actively plays sports. Inadequate nutrition can lead not only to poorer athletic performance but also to growth disorders, weak bones, and hormonal imbalance.
Key challenges: sufficient calorie intake, an appropriate balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and adequate micronutrients (iron, calcium, vitamin D). A young body is especially sensitive to nutrient deficiencies — even a short-term deficit can have long-term consequences for growth and development.
📊 Macronutrient Requirements by Age
Protein: 1.2–1.8 g/kg of body weight per day. For example, a 50 kg teenager needs 60–90 g of protein daily. Best sources: chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, legumes, tofu.
Carbohydrates: 45–65 % of daily calories. The main fuel for an athlete! Whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables. Avoid processed sugars and sweetened drinks.
Fats: 25–35 % of daily calories. Important for hormone production and brain function. Prefer: nuts, avocados, olive oil, fatty fish (omega-3 fatty acids).
⏰ Nutrition Timing: Before and After Training
2–3 hours before training: A complete meal — carbohydrates + proteins (e.g., chicken with rice, whole-grain pasta with cottage cheese).
30–60 min. before: A light snack — a banana, a granola bar, toast with honey. Avoid hard-to-digest foods!
Within 30 min. after training: Proteins + carbohydrates for recovery — a milk shake, Greek yogurt with fruit, a protein bar. This is the so-called anabolic window.
After 1–2 hours: A complete meal rich in proteins and carbohydrates.
💧 Hydration for Young Athletes
Children and teenagers dehydrate faster than adults because their thermoregulation is not yet fully developed. Even 1–2 % dehydration can significantly worsen athletic performance.
Recommendations:
- Before training (2–3 hours): 400–600 ml of water
- Before training (15 min.): 200–300 ml
- During training: 150–200 ml every 15–20 min.
- After training: 500–750 ml for every kg of weight lost
Sports drinks required only when >For 60 min. of intense training in the heat. For everyday training, water is enough.
🛑 What to Avoid in Young Athletes' Nutrition
- Sports supplements without medical supervision — many supplements have not been tested on teenagers and may have unwanted effects
- Energy drinks — a high caffeine content is dangerous for a young body and can cause heart rhythm disturbances
- Strict diets and calorie restriction — slows growth and development, disrupts hormonal balance
- Processed fast food as a main source of nutrition — empty calories with no nutritional value
- Too few carbohydrates — this is the main fuel for an athlete! Without them, the body starts burning muscle
🛒 Recommended Sports Supplements and Products
Choose from our carefully selected categories of sports products and food supplements:
🔗 Related Tools and Articles
More useful tools and guides on sports, health and active lifestyle topics: