Aoife Hearne: How much protein should I give my gym-going teen?

He has protein again at dinner time — either chicken or beef. 

He says it’s not enough protein to build muscle, but I think it’s more than enough. What would you recommend?

Parents across the country are asking this very question. While many of us are aware of the pressures teenage girls face to be slim, the pressure on adolescent boys often goes unnoticed. 

Gone are the days when young men were aiming for a six-pack — the goal now is a virtually unattainable eight-pack. The drive to have muscles that would put Hercules to shame is undoubtedly trickling down to our younger male teens.

Protein in our diet is an essential nutrient for growth and repair. It is also a necessary nutrient for growing muscle.

However, muscle bulk does not happen until a preteen goes through puberty.

At this stage, the hormone testosterone, in addition to adequate protein intake, sufficient carbohydrates, and regular resistance exercise, helps build muscle.

While adequate daily protein is important, how frequently we consume it is critical to muscle growth. Current research suggests that rather than consuming large amounts of protein in one or two sittings, we should aim to consume smaller portions more often during the day.

The body cannot utilise large amounts of protein in one sitting to build muscle. Instead, when we eat smaller portions of protein at multiple meals and snacks throughout the day, the body can utilise most of the protein for growth. This small detail can make a big difference.

Children and teenagers require more protein in proportion to their body weight than adults. Research on male adolescent soccer players suggests they need 1.35 – 1.6g per kg of body weight to build muscle.

A teenage athlete who weighs 65kg, for example, will require 90-100g of protein daily. However, consuming 25g of protein at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack after resistance training would be more beneficial than consuming 50g of protein at lunch and dinner.

While most teenagers and adults get adequate protein at lunch and dinner, breakfast and snacks are often lacking. I recommend you explore ways to add more protein to these meals. Foods such as eggs, high-protein milk, nuts, nut butter, and yoghurt are great ways to get more protein for breakfast and snacks throughout the day.

In particular, milk has been demonstrated to be beneficial for muscle building after exercise.

An easy addition to your son’s day would be to add a small carton of chocolate milk after his gym session.

It provides the nutrients (carbohydrate and protein) to build muscle and has the bonus of being a great calcium source.

If you have any concerns about your son’s nutrient needs, make sure to contact your GP or registered dietitian.