Strength training and nutritional supplement use in adolescents.

Overview

The "win at all costs" mentality is becoming increasingly common in youth sports, and young athletes are often looking for methods to improve sports performance and avoid injury. As organized sports participation continues to increase among American adolescents, questions related to sports medicine are more frequently encountered in the pediatric and adolescent office setting. Concerned with the improvement of athletic performance and the prevention of injury, adolescents are turning to strength training to help improve bone density and muscle strength. These efforts should be encouraged if the strength program is properly designed and supervised. Another topic of concern to many adolescents is nutritional supplement use. Products known as ergogenic aids are designed to chemically improve sports performance and are currently being used by many adolescent athletes. Of these products, nutritional supplements are presented as a natural and safe method of improving athletic ability. None of these products has been tested in or approved for use in pediatric or adolescent subjects. Recommendations regarding the use of these products should be approached with a significant amount of trepidation in the pediatric and adolescent health communities.