A Guide to Recovery Nutrition for Youth Athletes

With the intense sporting, schooling and social demands youth athletes have, recovery can often be one of their biggest challenges. Finding time for a nutritious meal, late at night, after a grueling day spent between the classroom and gym can be a tough ask for busy parents. Especially if there’s a long commute home and a late-night finish.

But going to bed on an empty stomach after a heavy session could ultimately cost your child's place on the podium. Making sure they fuel their bodies with exactly what it needs after a session is essential for winning performances. More importantly it will also support the health, growth and development of all young athletes.

Three R's of Recovery

Post-training nutrition can be broken down into three simple categories; refuel, repair and rehydrate.

1. Refuel

Long or high-intensity sessions use up all the fuel (glycogen) stored in their body. Therefore, replenishing this as quickly and efficiently as possible is one of the key aspects of recovery ^[1]. As it can take up to 24 hours to fully replenish the glycogen stores in the body, starting this process as soon as possible is essential ^[1]. Especially so when athletes have training sessions or events the following day.

Glycogen is stored in the body, therefore the body's fuel source can be replenished from eating carbohydrates. Although the exact amounts a youth athlete needs to consume will vary from athlete to athlete depending on their age, gender, sport type etc, consuming a carbohydrate rich meal or snack in the hours immediately after exercise is recommended for all.

When recovery times are shorter (8 hours or less) the timing may be more important. In these cases, aim for your kids to consume 1g per kg of bodyweight of carbohydrate as quickly as possible after the session, followed by a carbohydrate rich meal when possible. For a 50kg athlete, this would translate to 50g of carbohydrate. For longer recovery times, the timing is less important ^[1].

Examples

There is some evidence to suggest carbohydrates with a higher Glycemic Index (GI) may be more efficient at replenishing glycogen stores ^[1]. These include foods such as:

• White breads
• Pasta
• Rice
• Breakfast cereals
• Fruits
• Fruit juices

2. Repair

After exercise, the proteins in their muscles will need to adapt and repair in order to grow and develop. Muscle protein synthesis (the building and repair of proteins) is highest after exercise and evidence shows that the body can adapt to the training session better if a high-quality protein source is consumed following exercise ^[1].

Incorporating protein into the snacks and meals eaten after a training session is key to enhance training adaptations and promote recovery, as well as helping to reduce muscle soreness ^[2]. High-quality sources such as animal and dairy products are most efficient ^[1], with the optimum amount to consume 10-20g ^[2].

Consuming protein alongside carbohydrates has also shown to increase the rate of glycogen repletion, particularly if the amount of carbohydrates consumed are inadequate ^[1].

Examples

Good protein sources include:

• Milk and flavoured milk
• Yoghurt
• Poultry
• Fish
• Meat

3. Rehydrate

Youth athletes are likely to be dehydrated after a training session, even if they have drunk before or during the session. This is more likely to occur in hot or humid conditions ^[1]. Kids should aim to consume around 1.5 times the amount of fluid they have lost during exercise to rehydrate sufficiently.

Because hydration and dehydration can vary so much between athletes related to individual sweat losses, the exact amount will vary, and an individual fluid plan may be beneficial.

Head over to our blog post on hydration to find out more on how to stay well hydrated.

If their session is particularly hard or the conditions are hot and humid and sweat losses are high, consuming water alone will not be adequate. Electrolytes including sodium and chloride will also need to be replaced and this can be achieved through hydration drinks/ tablets, sports drinks or in the foods consumed in the recovery meal/snack ^[1].

Tip

Kids can gauge their hydration status based on the colour of their urine. The chart below ^[3] provides a guide to hydration levels.

The most important thing to consider with recovery is planning. Making sure your young athlete knows exactly what they will be eating after their session and when to start refuelling is key to success.

Whether this is a snack on the journey home or a meal on the table when they arrive, athletes should always be prepared. Plan ahead and don’t get caught with a rumbling stomach on the journey home.

NUTRI-TEEN Food Powder Shakes

NUTRI-TEEN Shakes are the world’s first food powder shake tailored specifically to active youths. Not only is it a great source of protein, but each shake also contains a specific blend of fats, carbs and 16 essential micronutrients to ensure athletes get everything their body needs to perform and its best. NUTRI-TEEN Shakes are specifically designed to cater to the nutritional needs of active youths, this food powder can help fill in any dietary gaps, providing the high-quality protein that's crucial for muscle recovery and growth.

Available in several kid-approved flavours, these food powder shakes offer a quick, easy, and tasty way to boost your child's protein intake. What sets NUTRI-TEEN shakes apart is their focus on supporting youths during their vital growth and development phases, as well as facilitating recovery.

Please remember, these food powder shakes are not meant to replace a balanced diet of whole foods. Instead, they're designed to complement it, particularly when your child's dietary needs are heightened due to intense training sessions. If ensuring adequate protein through food alone is proving difficult, consider adding YSN NUTRI-TEEN shakes to your young athlete's nutritional plan for that added support.

Youth Sport Nutrition Services

If you're looking for personalised nutrition advice, consider Youth Sport Nutrition nutrition services. We offer professional consultations with qualified sports nutritionists at below-market rates to help you explore the best solutions.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information about nutrition for youth athletes and is not meant to replace professional dietary advice or individual nutritional counselling. Every child's nutritional needs can vary due to factors such as age, size, physical activity level, and medical conditions. We strongly recommend consulting with a registered dietitian or a healthcare provider before making changes to your child's diet, such as adding food powders. YSN and the author of this article do not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, dietary modification, action, or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this article.

References

1. Jeukendrup, A. (2012) Sports nutrition. Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sport.
2. Bean, A. (2013). Anita Bean's Sports Nutrition for Young Athletes. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
3. NHS (2020) [Online]. 2020. Nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/keogh-review/Documents/quick-guides/background-docs/5-Birmingham-urine-analysis-tool.pdf. (Accessed: 16 January 2020).