Protein recommendation for young athlete going through puberty

Hi Doctors,

My son is currently 13yrs old, going through puberty and very active. He plays basketball usually about 2x a week, snowboards at least once a week during the season. Also the usual school gym time and recess. He’s been doing bodyweight exercises for years now, including push ups, pull ups, sit ups and single leg squats. Lately we’ve also been incorporating barbell work, mainly SBD plus overhead presses. I’m teaching him autoregulation so that RPEs don’t exceed 7/8 at this time.

He’s a hard eater. Likes food but doesn’t eat a lot. Always been skinny but ripped. I try to feed him as much as he’ll take, lol. I’ve also included the higher protein chocolate milk into his diet such as Fairlife. He’s currently around 5’2 and 96lbs. Does the same 1.6g/kg bodyweight recommendation apply? We as a family eat pretty healthy. Lean meats with whole grains and fruits and veggies make up the most of our diet.

Thanks,
Joe

Hey Joe,

Yep, that protein guideline would be fine, and it’s likely he is consuming this level of more. Sounds like he’s enjoying training without it being overly organized or stressful at the moment. I like that approach!

-Jordan

Thanks Jordan!