Should children take supplements before training?

Did you have a hero growing up? If so, you probably wanted to emulate him and his achievements.

Nowadays, your kids may see on social media or in stores their favorite athlete or influencer taking pre-workout supplements to improve their performance in the gym or on the sports field.

What are pre-workout supplements?

Pre-workout supplements come in a variety of names, flavors, and sizes. Some popular options include creatine and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). While creatine and the main ingredient in most pre-workout supplements is caffeine, most BCAAs do not contain caffeine.

These supplements are taken before training or competition to increase endurance and muscle mass and reduce recovery time. But the question is, should middle and high school-aged children take these supplements? The answer: Probably not.

What are the risks of taking supplements before training?

“These can cause increased heart rate or heartburn. They also take a lot of supplements that go directly into the intestines. You may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. They are also not well monitored; the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate them very closely,” says Erica Dawkins, a dietitian at OSF HealthCare.

In addition, children with heart defects must avoid these supplements.

“Often we see defects or abnormal heart rhythms that someone doesn’t even know about. They don’t know until they take something like that and they have a side effect,” says Dawkins. “So if you already know about it, avoid those drugs because we don’t want to put the heart into an abnormal rhythm that it may not be able to recover from.”

What are the benefits of pre-workout supplements?

“Many of them already contain beta-alanine or branched-chain amino acids, which speed up recovery and reduce fatigue,” says Dawkins. “We also see some nitrates being used, which improve blood flow to the muscles.”

Most pre-workouts are intended for healthy adults to use in moderation. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are generally advised against taking them due to the high caffeine content.

Alternatives to improve athletic performance in children

“First, focus on getting quality workouts in, then introduce a healthy diet,” says Dawkins. “We want to make sure we’re getting those nutrients throughout the day. Especially if we’re training multiple times a day. If you’re training within two to four hours, you should definitely have a snack. We see a lot of benefits in snacking before training or at halftime. We also want to make sure we’re hydrating.”

Dawkins says leafy and root vegetables like spinach, lettuce and beets are a great, natural alternative.

“These contain the natural nitrate, so we get the same effects as with a pre-workout supplement, just in our normal diet,” adds Dawkins.

If you are wondering which supplements should and should not be included in your child’s diet, it is extremely important to talk to your pediatrician or sports medicine specialist.