Bodybuilding naturally arouses the interest of many teenagers. Indeed, many young men and women dream of achieving a real physical transformation. It's a desire that also drives their interest in protein powders and whey. Although these dietary supplements present no direct danger to teenagers, weight training, depending on its intensity, is not necessarily recommended for this young audience. Massive weight gain can disrupt adolescent growth. In this context, it is not necessarily necessary to consume whey, which will potentiate muscle gain. On the other hand, outside of bodybuilding, i.e. as part of a more comprehensive sport (team sports, endurance sports, gymnastics, etc.), supplementation is perfectly healthy and appropriate. Whey can be used to supplement protein intake and promote muscle recovery. Young athletes will consume a certain quantity of whey protein according to their body weight. Here, post-workout supplementation should be preferred, and a balanced and varied diet should be followed. Protein intake should be complementary. It's also important to buy a certified whey with no processed ingredients. Additives, such as lecithin and sweeteners, can ultimately lead to a variety of disorders. Parents should pay close attention to these compounds before choosing a brand.
Is whey dangerous for teenagers?
Contrary to popular belief, whey protein is a natural product. This protein powder is derived from milk filtration. Specifically, whey is more commonly known as "whey". This substance, rich in essential amino acids and BCAAs, has simply been dehydrated to obtain the powder supplement we know. A priori, since it's just a concentrated source of protein, like chicken or egg, there's no "age requirement" for consuming it.
Pure whey, with no additives, is therefore a perfectly healthy product that should pose no danger to anyone's health. On paper, teenagers can consume it with complete peace of mind, unless they suffer from liver or kidney failure. A high-protein diet is a potential aggravating factor for these diseases, depending on their degree of intensity.
But can you let a teenager consume whey if he or she wants to start bodybuilding? That's a much harder question to answer. Bodybuilding is not necessarily a sport recommended for the very young. In adolescence, and particularly at puberty, growth is naturally accompanied by an increase in muscle mass. However, excessive muscle development caused by daily weight training can slow down or even reduce normal growth. As whey potentiates the hypertrophic effects of bodybuilding, supplementation is not recommended for young people in the context of pure bodybuilding.
Bodybuilding should therefore be practised at a controlled intensity, and supplementation in younger children (before puberty) is not recommended. At this age, bodybuilding should be considered more as "muscle building", beneficial to other sports, than as a practice in its own right.
When can teenagers take whey?
If excess weight gain is detrimental to teenagers, muscle building is not - quite the opposite! There's nothing to stop them taking part in a muscle-building sport, as long as they don't want to build massive muscles. If these conditions are met, the teenager can take whey supplements.
Whey can be used in any sport, whether team sports, running, skiing or gymnastics. Consumption of a protein powder will enable optimal intensive practice, supplementing the protein intake of the young athlete, without danger for the long term, and without having to consume large quantities of meat, fish or eggs.
Whey provides the body with amino acids that help repair and physiologically adapt muscle fibers damaged and/or stimulated by physical effort. By accelerating the repair of these tissues, sportsmen and women will recover more rapidly from their training sessions. Just like an adult, a teenager will have enough vitality to face the day and train effectively.
Please note: since whey is not compulsory for muscle gain in adults, we also emphasize that supplementation is not necessarily required. The beneficial effects of training will certainly be optimized, but not taking whey will not be directly penalized, especially if protein intake is well complemented by diet.
How should a teenager consume whey?
Whey is a dietary supplement. Intended to supplement your protein intake, this product should be consumed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. A whey shaker is not intended as a meal replacement. It's more like an invigorating drink to be taken immediately after training. This practice is all the more logical given the need to provide the body with essential amino acids and BCAAs after a physical challenge. In this sense, whey is usually consumed post-workout.
Although we aim to limit weight gain, so as not to risk disrupting the growth of young consumers, their protein requirements can be particularly high. That said, the doses consumed must be adapted to the weight of the adolescent. Usually, recommended doses are adapted to an adult weighing 70-80 kg. This corresponds more or less to 25 g of protein per dose. This amount should be reviewed and adjusted if necessary.
To leave nothing to chance, we encourage you to consult a dietician or sports nutritionist. This specialist will be able to study the teenager's diet and then indicate exactly how much whey to consume after each training session.
What's the best whey for teenagers?
If practically all the points have been covered above, the question remains as to which whey to choose for your teenager. The choice is far from easy, given all the products available on the market. Nonetheless, it's fair to say that the best whey for footballers will also be an excellent dietary supplement for teenagers, as they seek to optimize recovery on an occasional basis, particularly in the context of a heavy training load.
Basically, choose a whey isolate (a whey that has undergone a relatively thorough filtration process to remove lactose and fat) as a base . Unlike vegetable proteins, this milk-based protein powder provides all the essential amino acids. It therefore plays a significant role in the physical development of young athletes.
That said, buyers should pay particular attention to the composition of the products they are interested in. Supplements containing additives should be avoided. These are most often responsible for the undesirable effects attributed to whey. Whenever possible, opt for a whey without additives, lecithin or sweeteners. If you're choosing a protein powder with no added sugars, you'll want to check for the presence of sweeteners.
Some brands are also forging relationships with sports clubs for young athletes. This is the case for Protéalpes, which supplies quality whey to the French gymnastics center. Its products are consumed by young gymnasts whose diet is closely monitored by professional coaches.
