Active teenagers place high demands on their bodies. Between school, training, competition, growth, social commitments and recovery, their energy needs can be much higher than many parents, coaches and health professionals realise.

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For adolescent athletes. good nutrition is not about following a perfect diet. It is about eating enough, eating consistently, and supporting the body through growth, training and recovery.

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Axis Sports Dietitian Dane Baker highlights that many young athletes are under-fuelled without meaning to be. Busy schedules, appetite changes, early mornings, fussy eating and heavy training loads can all make it difficult for teenagers to meet their energy needs.

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This is an important consideration when working with young athletes who present with fatigue, poor recovery, recurrent niggles, difficulty gaining weight, reduced performance or concerns around growth and development. Nutrition may not be the only factor, but it is often a key part of the clinical picture.

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With the right support, adolescent athletes can build simple habits that help them feel better, recovery well and perform consistently.

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Why fuelling matters

Teenagers are still growing and developing. When regular sport is added on top, their bodies need enough energy to support both normal development and athletic performance.

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If your active adolescents do not eat enough, it can affect more than just training. Under-fuelling may influence mood, concentration, recovery, strength gains, injury risk and overall health.

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Many active teenagers need more energy than parents realise, particularly during periods of rapid growth or increased training load. Some may appear to be eating regularly but still fall short of what their body requires. This can happen when mealtimes are challenging, snacks are missed, appetite is low, or training demands increase.

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The goal is not to force food or create pressure around eating. It's to recognise that active teenagers fuel needs can change quickly as their training schedule changes. Certain seasons can result in a more congested schedule and as they progress in their sport, the trainings become harder and more frequent.

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For clinicians, coaches and support staff, it can be helpful to consider fuelling as part of the broader assessment when a young athlete is not progressing as expected. A referral to a sports dietitian maybe appropriate when nutrition concerns are affecting training, recovery, growth, performance or wellbeing.

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Signs a young athlete may be under-fuelled

Under-fuelling is not always obvious. A teenager may be still eating three meals a day, but that may not be enough for their training load and growth needs.

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Signs to look out for include:

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- Ongoing tiredness or low energy (particularly in school)

- Feeling flat, heavy or drained during training

- Poor recovery between sessions

- Difficulty gaining or maintaining weight

- Reduced motivation

- Trouble waking in the morning

- A drop in training performance

- Increased irritability or mood changes

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A simple question can be surprisingly helpful "How did your body feel at training today?"

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If a young athlete often says they feel flat, drained or low on energy, it may be worth reviewing whether they are eating enough around their training and throughout the day.

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These signs may also, alongside recurrent soft tissue issues, prolong recovery from injury, low energy availability, menstrual irregularities, bone stress concerns, or difficulty tolerating training load. In these situations, dietetic input can support the wider management plan.

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Getting the basics right

Young athletes need a balanced approach to nutrition. No single nutrient, supplement or food group will do the job on its own. Carbohydrates, protein and fats all have a role in supporting energy, growth, recovery and general health. The right balance will depend on the athlete's age, sport, body size, training load and personal goals.

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For most teenagers, a food-first approach is the best starting point. Regular meals, planned snacks, enough fluids, good sleep and appropriate training will usually have a bigger impact than relying on supplements.

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Timing can also make a different. A common challenger is that young athletes leave too much of their intake until later in the day. By then, theyr may be tired, busy or not hungry enough to make up for what they have missed.

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Spreading the intake across the day can help support energy levels, concentration, training quality and recovery. This is especially important when athletes train before school, straight after school, or multiple times in one day.

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Planning ahead can make this much easier. Having options available before and after training reduces the chance of athletes missing fuelling opportunities.

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A sensible approach to supplement and weight gain

Supplements are often marketed strongly to young athletes, particularly those wanting to gain strength or muscle. While some may have a place in specific situations, they should not be the first focus.

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Dane Baker notes that creatine may provide some strength benefits, but evidence and safety for teenagers is limited to only a handful of studies. It should not be seen as they main factor in improving performance or building muscle.

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For most adolescent athletes, the biggest gains come from eating overall, training consistently, recovering well, sleeping enough, staying hydrated and building habits that can be maintained. Supplements may offer small benefits in some cases, but they can make up for under-fuelling, poor recovery or inconsistent training.

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Many teenage athletes want to gain muscle, especially in strength, power or contact sports. The key message is simple: muscle gain requires appropriate resistance training and enough total energy.

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If any athlete is training hard but not eating enough, it will be difficult for their body to adapt. They feel tired, sore, frustrated or stuck in their progress.

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A healthy approach to muscle gain should be gradual, realistic and well supported. It should not rely on shortcuts or unnecessary pressure around body size. For young athletes, growth, development and long-term wellbeing need to remain the the priority.

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A sports dietitian can help young athletes gain strength or size in a safe, age-appropriate way, while keeping health, growth and performance in focus.

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How referrers, parents and coaches can help

One of the biggest challengers for adolescent athletes is that hunger can lag behind energy needs.

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Some teenagers do not feel hungry enough to match their training load. Others may feel nervous before competition, uncomfortable eating close to exercise, or too tired to eat properly afterwards.

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This is common, but it still needs attention. When appetite is low or schedules are busy, planning becomes important. Smaller, more frequent eating opportunities may be easier than relying on large meals.

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Helpful questions include:

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- How are you feeling during training?

- Are you recovering well between sessions?

- Do you feel energised or flat?

- Are you getting through the school day okay?

- Have you noticed changes in strength, mood or motivation?

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For health professionals and other referrers, useful prompts may include asking about changes in training load, appetite, weight, recovery, injury history, menstrual function, sleep and school demands. These conversations can help identify when nutrition support may be beneficial as part of a broader care plan.

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When to seek support

If a young athlete is often tired, struggling to recover, losing weight unintentionally, not progressing as expected, or feeling anxious about food or body size, is worth seeking advice.

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A sports dietitian can help assess the athlete's need to create a practical plan that suits their age, sport, schedule and goals.

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Individual support can be especially valuable during growth spurts, heavy training phases, injury recovery, return-to-sport planning, competition blocks or when an athlete is trying to gain muscle safely.

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Referrers may consider dietetic input when a young athlete presents with:

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- Persistent fatigue or poor training response

- Recurrent injuries or slow recovery

- Difficulty gaining or maintaining weight

- Concerns around growth, development or low energy availability

- Menstrual irregularities in female athletes

- Bone stress injuries or frequent illness

- Uncertainty around supplements

- Pressure to change body composition for sport

- Anxiety or confusion around fuelling

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Fuelling adolescent athletes well is about supporting the whole person, not just their sport. Teenagers need enough energy to grow, learn, train, recover and enjoy their sport. When fuelling is consistent, athletes are more likely to feel strong, focused and ready for the demands of training and competition.

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The aim is not perfection but consistency. It is building sustainable habits that support health, confidence and performance over time.

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Refer a young athlete for nutrition support

If you are supporting an adolescent athlete who is struggling with energy, recovery, performance, growth, injury management or safe muscle gain, sports dietitian support can be a valuable part of their care. A tailored nutrition plan can help your athlete meet the demands of training and development while supporting long-term health and wellbeing.