Today, I was asked to speak to the Advanced PE Instructors for Prince William County Public Schools. Our  topic? Teen Athlete’s and Supplements.

We strayed all over the place from nutrition and supplements to how to keep the kids engaged in learning.

We had some great questions, mostly centered around WHICH supplements would I recommend for teen athletes. Here’s a quick summary and my reasoning as to why:

1. Quality vitamin & chelated minerals
   
2. CoEnzymeQ10 is a great recovery antioxidant
3. Grape Seed Extract – reduces inflammation
4. Protein powders – when they’re not eating enough quality foods
5. Fish oil – essential fats

And for my DO NOT TAKE list:

• Creatine – most local companies will refuse to sell to teens, between water retention, high blood pressure….there are just better ways to go about adding muscle mass
• BCAAs – not worth it, eat healthy & build a better body
• Steroids (are not supplements, they are drugs)
• Fat Burners – if they actually worked, we’d be a thin nation
• Protein bars – too high in sugar, look for low glycemic ones
• NO2 (Nitric Oxide) – an amino acid but also contains stimulants

So what’s best for our budding adults (and really….everybody)?

• Good Nutrition – to build mass, protein, spinach, kale
• Water, water and more water (and some mineral water too)
• Quality vitamins and chelated minerals
• Good training
• Sleep

It’s better to keep the kids safe and healthy. What we thought was okay to use year’s ago….now we know better in so many things. If there was one thing else I’d add to the list? Vitamin D! We need more of it!

PS – One of our corporate sponsors has the great books, “The Student Athlete’s Guide to Proper Nutrition” – please let me know if you’d like copies of the free book for your students!