Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Facebook Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest

Do Kids Need Recovery Drinks After Exercise?

Parents

Powerdered supplement next to a water bottle.High-protein recovery drinks are marketed as an essential requirement for any athlete who actually wants to make progress. How could you possibly build muscle without loading up on additional protein, right?

Protein-rich recovery shakes have an important place in sports nutrition, but they are also over-used and consumed by people who don’t need them. As a parent of a school-aged athlete, here’s what you need to know before fixing a protein shake for your active child.

 

Most kids get more than enough protein

Adults need about 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day in order to support an active lifestyle. That requirement increases to 1.2-1.7 g/kg/day for amateur athletes, like adults who run and/or go to the gym 3-5 times per week.

Protein intakes of 1.6-1.8 g/kg/day, combined with heavy weight training, have been shown to help strength athletes build muscle, however, very little research indicates additional benefit – for any athlete – from exceeding 2 g/kg/day. Even though school-age children are actively growing in addition to participating in sports, their protein requirements are within the ranges above, at about 1-1.5g/kg/day.

 

Estimating protein requirements is easy

A convenient way to estimate your child’s protein requirement is to take their weight in pounds and divide by two. The resulting value is a good starting point for the amount of protein they should consume, in grams.

For example, an 80-pound child should consume 40 grams of protein per day. Even if you wanted to increase protein intake as an ‘insurance policy’ to make sure they’re getting enough, you’d still only be looking at 50 grams.

 

Even vegetarians and vegans can eat all the protein they need

It is not as difficult as you might think to get more than enough protein: Recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) have consistently shown Americans consume about twice the recommended or necessary amount of protein per day. Dairy products contain about 1g of protein per ounce, and lean meats, fish, and beans contain about 7g of protein per ounce. Nuts and legumes (peanuts) contain 4-7g of protein per ounce.

Considering the protein-rich components of our 80-pound student-athlete’s potential daily diet, here’s how easy it is to exceed the protein requirement:

  • Breakfast: 4 ounces of yogurt (28g of protein)
  • Lunch: 3 ounces of sliced chicken (21g)
  • Snack: 2-ounce bag of almonds (12g)
  • Dinner: 4-ounce hamburger, grilled chicken breast, or salmon filet (28g)

Total: 89 grams of protein

But wait, your teenager is a vegetarian? Their intake could look more like this:

  • Breakfast: 4 ounces of yogurt (28g of protein)
  • Lunch: 2 ounces of peanut butter or almond butter (14g)
  • Snack: 3 ounces hummus (7g)
  • Dinner: 4 ounces of black or pinto beans  (24g)

Total: 73 grams of protein

Or, how about the vegan teenager who consumes no animal products?:

  • Breakfast: 3 ounces of peanut butter (21g of protein)
  • Lunch: 4 ounces of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (22g)
  • Snack: 3 ounces of almonds (21g)
  • Dinner: 4 ounces of tempeh,  (20g)

Total: 84 grams of protein

All of the scenarios above deliver 70-90 grams of protein, which is within the recommended range for a 170-190 pound adult and more than enough for any school-age athlete.

 

Real food delivers more than protein

Protein powders and pre-made recovery shakes are convenient, but prioritize protein over comprehensive nutrition. The biggest benefits of consuming real food sources of protein are the other vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates in those foods. All of these nutrients work together to enhance recovery, muscle growth, and immune system function.

 

Real food reduces added sugar intake

To make protein powders and recovery shakes taste good, manufacturers often add loads of added sugar. The same is true for many protein-rich nutrition bars. The ingredient and nutrient profiles of many of these foods and drinks read more like sweet treats and candy bars than sports nutrition.  

 

Protein intake should be spread throughout the day

Proponents of protein shakes point to the importance of replenishing protein immediately after hard exercise. While protein is an important component of post-exercise recovery, an athlete’s body benefits most from a steady supply of protein throughout the day. One of the most common ways athletes over-consume protein is by using a protein-rich supplement after exercise and then continuing to prioritize protein in their food choices throughout the rest of the day — due to the amount of protein that is consumed in a protein shake.

 

Adequate energy intake matters more than protein

No amount of protein will help athletes recover from sports, build muscle, or improve performance if their total energy intake is not adequate to support their activity level.

Only a body getting enough energy for normal everyday functions can direct any of it to building additional muscle or other processes involved in improving performance. Recovery shakes can inadvertently reduce total daily energy and nutrient intake by displacing meals, particularly for athletes who are also looking to lose weight or maintain a low bodyweight.

 

The Takeaway

Most school-age athletes eating a typical American diet (even one that forgoes animal products) can meet or exceed their protein requirements without consuming recovery shakes or drinks. To best aid your athlete’s development, feed them real food and adequate calories to support their activity level.

Related Content

Loading...
1 2 … 20

Join Us

Subscribe
Shop TrueSport
Host TrueSport

TrueSport logo without icon in white.

© 2025 TrueSport | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Sitemap

Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.