Balanced Diets for Young Athletes: Energy, Protein, Hydration and Supplements

A balanced diet for a young athlete has to cover two jobs at once: fueling training and competition, and supporting normal growth and development. That means enough total energy, carbohydrate and protein spread through the day, attention to calcium, vitamin D and iron, and a plan for fluids. Sports nutrition experts agree that young athletes should meet these needs with everyday foods rather than supplements.

Evidence grade: Strong. These recommendations come from joint position statements by the American College of Sports Medicine and dietitian organizations, IOC consensus statements, American Academy of Pediatrics reports and established NIH reference intakes for adolescents.

Why Young Athletes Need a Balanced Diet

A joint position statement from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada concludes that well-chosen nutrition, including the type, amount and timing of food and fluids, improves both performance and recovery [5]. For young athletes there is an extra layer. Sports Dietitians Australia's position statement on adolescent athletes notes that they have unique nutritional needs because they train and compete daily while still growing and developing. Its advice is to build eating habits that support long-term health, not just the next game [6].

MedlinePlus notes that an athlete's ideal diet is not very different from a healthy diet for anyone else; what changes is the amount of each food group, depending on the sport and training load. Athletes are more likely to feel tired and perform poorly when they fall short on calories, carbohydrate, fluids, protein, iron or other nutrients [12].

Energy: Eating Enough for Training and Growth

Total energy (calories) comes first. A young athlete who trains hard but eats like a less active peer can fall short on fuel for both sport and growth. The adolescent position statement recommends matching eating patterns to each day's exercise demands and spreading high-quality carbohydrate and protein foods regularly across the day, especially in the period right after training [6].

In practice that usually means three meals plus planned snacks on training days, with food soon after hard sessions. Packing snacks ahead helps on busy school and sport days.

Carbohydrate: The Main Training Fuel

Carbohydrate is stored in the muscles and liver and provides much of the energy for hard exercise [12]. Needs scale with training. For athletes in general, MedlinePlus lists these daily ranges [12]:

These ranges were developed for athletes broadly rather than for children specifically, so treat them as a starting point to discuss with a sports dietitian. Good sources include whole-grain breads and cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes and other starchy vegetables, legumes, fruit and milk. For more detail on fueling and timing, see the truth about carbs and athletic performance.

Protein: How Much Young Athletes Need

Protein supports muscle growth and the repair of body tissues [12]. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) notes that the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.85 g per kg of body weight a day for adolescents. More recent data suggest athletes need about 1.2-2.0 g/kg a day, and the ACSM and dietitian groups recommend about 0.3 g/kg of high-quality protein within two hours after exercise and then every three to five hours [1]. The ODS also points out that much of the research on athletes was done in young adults rather than adolescents [1].

For a 50 kg (110 lb) teen, that works out to about 43 g a day at the RDA and roughly 60-100 g a day at athlete levels, with about 15 g after training. Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and yogurt, beans, lentils, nuts and nut butters all count [12]. Eating more protein than the body needs does not improve performance; strength training, not extra protein alone, builds muscle [12].

Fats, Vitamins and Minerals

Fat is a main fuel at rest and during long, low-to-moderate exercise, and MedlinePlus suggests getting 20-35% of calories from fat [12]. Choose sources such as nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado and fish most of the time.

The adolescent position statement singles out calcium, vitamin D and iron because young athletes have a higher risk of falling short on them [6]. Here are the NIH reference amounts:

The ODS lists teen girls with heavy periods among the groups most likely to have trouble getting enough iron [2]. Fruits and vegetables of different colors round out the vitamins, minerals and fiber. Our article on the role of iron in energy levels covers iron-rich foods in more depth.

Hydration for Young Athletes

An American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement on heat and exercising youth found that, when they stay well hydrated, children and adolescents handle exercise in the heat about as well as adults. Besides poor hydration, the main drivers of heat problems in young athletes are pushing too hard, too little recovery between sessions or same-day games, and clothing or equipment that traps heat. With preparation and monitoring, the AAP says these risks are usually preventable [9].

The ACSM's fluid guidance applies the same logic [8]:

• Before: start sessions well hydrated, drinking with normal meals and, when needed, several hours before activity.
• During: drink enough to prevent losing more than 2% of body weight from sweat. Sweat rates vary widely, so weighing before and after practice is a simple way to learn an athlete's own needs.
• After: replace the fluid and electrolytes lost.

For workouts under an hour, water is usually all that is needed [12]. Drinks with electrolytes and carbohydrate can help in some longer or hotter sessions [8]. See our guides to hydration strategies for sports performance and hydration and recovery for more.

Sports drinks and energy drinks are not the same thing. The AAP concluded that the caffeine and other stimulants in energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and adolescents, and that frequent or excessive use of caloric sports drinks can add substantial calories and contribute to excess weight gain in young people [10].

When Low Energy Becomes a Health Concern: REDs

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) is a syndrome described by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It happens when an athlete's energy intake is too low for the energy spent in exercise, for a prolonged period or to a severe degree. According to the 2023 IOC consensus statement, the effects can include decreases in energy metabolism, reproductive function, musculoskeletal health, immunity, glycogen storage and cardiovascular and blood health, leading to poorer well-being, a higher risk of injury and lower performance. It affects both female and male athletes [7].

REDs is something to raise with a clinician, not something to manage at home. Talk with a pediatrician or sports medicine doctor if a young athlete has changes in menstrual periods, bone stress injuries, frequent illness, ongoing fatigue, unplanned weight loss or falling performance despite training, or if you notice restrictive eating or pressure to change body weight. The IOC statement provides tools that clinicians use to assess it [7].

Planning Meals and Snacks

• Include a carbohydrate food, a protein food, and a fruit or vegetable at each meal.
• Schedule snacks around practice: something carbohydrate-rich beforehand and a carbohydrate-plus-protein option afterward, such as yogurt with fruit or a turkey sandwich.
• Spread protein across the day instead of loading it into one meal [1, 6].
• Keep water available at every practice and game, and involve young athletes in planning and shopping so they learn to fuel themselves.

Safety and Interactions

The adolescent position statement says nutrient needs should be met with core foods rather than supplements, because recommending supplements to developing athletes overstates what they can do compared with training and diet [6]. The AAP's clinical report on performance-enhancing substances raises concerns about high rates of product contamination, links to later steroid use, and effects on the focus and experience of youth sport. It notes that for most young athletes these products do not produce meaningful gains beyond those that come with puberty and a good nutrition and training program [11].

• Caffeine and energy drinks: the ODS reports that the American Medical Association recommends adolescents have no more than 100 mg of caffeine a day, and that the AAP warns energy drinks have no place in children's or adolescents' diets [1, 10].
• Untested products: research on many sports supplements has been done in young adults, not adolescents, and the safety of some, such as HMB, has not been studied in teens [1].
• Iron: high-dose iron supplements can cause upset stomach, constipation, nausea and other problems, so use iron only if a clinician has checked iron status and recommends it [2].
• Medical conditions and medicines: if a young athlete has a medical condition or takes medicine, talk with the pediatrician before changing their diet substantially or adding any supplement.

Because this page is about children and teens, OPA Nutrition does not recommend any of its products here. A pediatrician or registered dietitian, ideally one who specializes in sports, can help when a young athlete's diet seems to be falling short [5].

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of diet should a youth athlete follow?

A balanced one built on everyday foods: whole grains and other carbohydrate foods, lean protein, dairy or fortified alternatives, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats, with fluids treated as part of the plan. Portions should rise with training, and meals and snacks should be spread through the day.

How much protein do youth athletes need?

The RDA for adolescents is 0.85 g per kg of body weight a day. Guidance for athletes suggests about 1.2-2.0 g/kg, though most of that research was in adults. Most young athletes can reach these amounts with regular meals that include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans or lentils, plus a protein-containing snack after training.

Are sports drinks or energy drinks good for young athletes?

Energy drinks are not appropriate; the AAP says their caffeine and stimulants have no place in a young person's diet. For practices under an hour, water is usually enough. Sports drinks may help during long or very hot sessions, but frequent use adds a lot of extra sugar and calories.

Are dietary supplements necessary for youth athletes?

Usually not. Sports nutrition and pediatric groups advise meeting needs with food. Supplements may be contaminated, have little research in teens, and offer little benefit over good nutrition and training. If a gap such as low iron is suspected, a clinician should test for it and advise on treatment.

What is REDs in young athletes?

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport happens when an athlete does not eat enough to cover both training and normal body functions for a prolonged period. It can affect growth-related systems such as bones, hormones and immunity, as well as performance. Signs such as missed periods, bone stress injuries or ongoing fatigue are a reason to see a clinician.

Sources

1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact Sheet for Consumers.
3. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium: Fact Sheet for Consumers.
4. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Consumers.
5. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016.
6. Desbrow B, McCormack J, Burke LM, et al. Sports Dietitians Australia position statement: sports nutrition for the adolescent athlete. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014.
7. Mountjoy M, Ackerman KE, Bailey DM, et al. 2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). Br J Sports Med. 2023.
8. American College of Sports Medicine; Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007.
9. American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Council on School Health; Bergeron MF, Devore C, Rice SG. Policy statement: climatic heat stress and exercising children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2011.
10. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition and Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Sports drinks and energy drinks for children and adolescents: are they appropriate? Pediatrics. 2011.
11. LaBotz M, Griesemer BA; American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Use of performance-enhancing substances. Pediatrics. 2016.
12. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Nutrition and athletic performance. National Library of Medicine.

Disclosure: OPA Nutrition sells supplements, including products mentioned in this article. This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before using any supplement, especially if you take medication or have a medical condition.

Written and reviewed by Michael Gonzales, Founder, OPA Nutrition · Last reviewed: October 17, 2026 · How OPA researches and writes