01/26/2026
All of this to say I’m not a parent, but as a sports dietitian that works with both high schoolers and collegiate athletes every week of the year (so see how decisions age over time).
1️⃣ I wouldn’t let them take ergogenic aids if they were skipping meals (yes creatine, beta alanine, sodium bicarbonate, etc)
2️⃣ I wouldn’t accept OCPs as a treatment for missing cycles or honestly probably not for acne either unless cycles were 100% regulated and all other options were exhausted
3️⃣ I wouldn’t allow caffeine over 120 mg/day (a lot of energy drinks fall into more than this) and if caffeine is being used pre race we would be NAILING our nutrition
4️⃣I wouldn’t allow any supplements that weren’t warranted by a medical care provider and third party tested
That’s it! Also for all of the high school athletes that ask me if it’s ok to have dessert I always say yes especially within a nutrient dense diet that is meeting needs of sport, growth, and development💕