PEN® eNews 15(12) December 2025 - Athletic Supplements in Children, Adolescents and Adults

Are Athletic Supplements Safe and Effective in Children and Adolescents? 

Are creatine, caffeine or protein supplements safe and effective for improving exercise performance, decreasing fat mass or improving recovery after exercise in adults and children / adolescents?

Exercise Performance

Adults

Taking 20 to 23 g of creatine supplements per day in combination with carbohydrates for three to seven days probably increases sprint power in cycling in young adult males. Creatine supplements on their own probably do not affect other measures of sprint performance or affect endurance performance in trained, young adult males. Evidence in females and gender-diverse athletes is lacking.

Children and Adolescents

The full practice question includes information about safety, body fat percentage and recovery after exercise.

To see the full practice question, click here.

Nutrition for Young Athletes - Are There Special Considerations?

Did you know that along with the tailored content the PEN Team creates just for you, we also link to outside reputable resources to help guide your practice? To support our updated practice question on athletic supplements in children, we're highlighting a position paper from the Canadian Paediatric Society on Sport Nutrition for Young Athletes. 

This resource is open access and provides information about energy, macronutrient, micronutrient and fluid needs for young athletes. It also provides guidance regarding recovery foods, meal planning and meal timing in this population. Although this resource is not new, it was reviewed by the PEN Team in 2024 and was in line with current evidence at that time.

To view the Canadian Paediatric Society guidelines, click here.

Eating Guidelines for Athletes

Most people don’t need special nutrition to fuel their active lifestyle. However, if you are an athlete who trains regularly and are involved in competitive sports, you are likely to have greater needs for some nutrients.

Our updated handout on Sport Nutrition for Athletes reminds us that well-chosen and well-timed meals and snacks can help: 

• Keep you hydrated and your blood glucose (sugar) levels stable. 

• Give you the energy (calories) you need to perform your best.

• Replace the energy, fluids, salts (electrolytes) and carbohydrates you burn during exercise. 

Before exercise, choose foods that are lower in fat and fibre. Include carbohydrate-rich foods about 30 minutes after you exercise to help replace lost glycogen. If you exercise for a long time or at a high intensity, you may need to eat every 2 hours for up to 6 hours after your workout to fully recover. 

For more information, view our handout here.

Consumer Reports on Protein Powders: Are Lead Levels Cause for Concern?

In October 2025, Consumer Reports, an American organization, published their findings that many protein powders sold in the United States of America (USA) had concerning amounts of lead in them. Their independent analysis of 23 protein powders found that only one protein powder had “undetectable” amounts of lead; six more had low enough lead levels that Consumer Reports considered them safe for daily use. Flavour (e.g. vanilla vs. chocolate) did not appear to impact lead levels.

It should be noted that the safe intake levels defined by Consumer Reports are lower than the safe intake levels determined by Health Canada and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The PEN Team asked: what data are these organizations using to determine their safe intake levels, and why do they differ?  

Are these findings really cause for concern? The PEN Team takes a deep dive into the evidence here.