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Does your child take vitamins, protein shakes, diet pills or creatine? Health food stores are filled with products that claim to help teens lose weight, build muscle, or become better athletes. But according to new research, if teens try these herbal supplements they may be at risk for doing something far worse.

18-year-old Lori, for example, took diet pills.

“I would take two of these in the morning with breakfast,” says Lori, referring to a bottle of Xenadrine.

Bob and Antonio use protein powder.

“I’m a skinny man and I want to play college football, and so I need to get bigger,” says 18-year-old Antonio.

“For me it’s the opposite,” adds his friend Bob. “Because I’m kind of a fat guy, and I’m trying to replace the fat with muscle.”

New research from the University of Rochester Medical Center shows teens who use herbal supplements are six times more likely to use cocaine, nine times more likely to use heroin, and 15 times more likely to use steroids compared to other kids.

“For a lot of kids who do get into heavier drugs,” says psychologist Dr. Rick Van Haveren, “they usually do start with gateway drugs which might be cigarettes and nicotine, alcohol, and from there they progress onto heavier drugs. So these herbal drugs might actually be falling into this gateway category.”

He says parents should view supplements as a warning sign of drug use.

“Especially with some kids who are more of risk takers,” says Dr. Van Haveren, “I think that they are a little more likely to try some supplements, to try some drugs.”

And for athletes, supplement use can escalate.

18-year-old Robby started with creatine – a powder to help build muscle.

“And after creatine,” says Robby, “I then tried Cell-Tech, which has creatine in it and some other stuff, then went to Nitro-Tech.”

“If you start with something like creatine and you take it for a while,” says Dr. Van Haveren, “after a while you are going to plateau. And so at that point, that puts the teen at risk for trying something new.”

He says before you allow your teen to take any supplement, research it carefully: “Most of the herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so you really don’t know exactly what you are getting when you buy something.”

And tell kids which products you consider off-limits.

“So you really have to talk with your teen and let them know where the line is,” says Dr. Van Haveren.

What We Need To Know

• Before parents allow kids to take any supplement, they should ask themselves four questions.
  The first: is it safe? Because the FDA does not regulate supplements, no one knows for sure about their safety. Supplements are not rigorously tested for long-term side effects before being put on the market. (David Marshall, M.D., Medical Director, Sports Medicine Program)




• Also, supplements are not tested for purity. There is evidence that some supplements contain more than is listed on the label. The manufacturer may want the consumer to feel immediate results after consuming the product. For example, if you take a protein shake and feel an immediate rush, there is more than just protein powder in the product. It may be spiked with caffeine, guarana extract, or other stimulants. (Dr. Ted Mitchell, M.D., Internal and Sports Medicine)




• The second question parents should ask before allowing kids to take a supplement: does it really work? Again, because supplements are not FDA regulated, claims made by the manufacturer may have no medical basis. (David Marshall, M.D., Medical Director, Sports Medicine Program)




• The third question to ask: is it legal? In 2005, the federal government banned certain bodybuilding products that were previously available in health food stores. The most notable product is androstenedione, known to weightlifters as “andro.” Doctors say it is a steroid precursor and carries some of the same risks as steroids. “Andro” is now a controlled substance, similar to marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. (U.S. Congressman Vito J. Fossella)




• The final question to ask before taking a supplement: Is this cheating? The answer may depend on the athlete’s own code of ethics. Supplements can un-level the playing field, giving the user an unfair advantage. (David Marshall, M.D., Medical Director, Sports Medicine Program)




• Protein supplements are relatively harmless for healthy kids take who take them in the recommended doses. However, doctors do not believe there is any benefit—especially for teens who already get enough protein in their diet. The body does not store protein—so extra amounts are simply released in the urine. (David Marshall, M.D., Medical Director, Sports Medicine Program, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta)




• Doctors do not know the long-term effects of creatine, a powder to build muscle. There have been some reports that creatine can lead to kidney problems. (Christine Haller, M.D., Medical Toxicologist)




• Another reason supplements may be harmful to teens is often they don’t always follow the directions. Some kids may believe “if a little is good, more must be better.” This can increase the risk of harmful side effects. (Christine Haller, M.D., Medical Toxicologist)




• If you do allow teens to use supplements, explain how this may lead to the temptation to try drugs. Make sure your teen understands where to draw the line. (Rick Van Haveren, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist)

Resources

• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• Dr. Rick Van Haveren, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
• Christine Haller, M.D., Medical Toxicologist

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