Teens striving to shape their bodies or improve their athletic performance may be tempted to use dietary or sports supplements. These products, readily available and often touted as natural, may seem like perfect-or at least harmless-solutions. Yet, supplements can cause problems. While some simply fail to deliver what they promise, supplements also can actually be dangerous. So, monitor your teen's use of supplements and guide her toward safe ways to boost her physical fitness.

Wide Variety

Vitamins and minerals may be the most familiar dietary supplements. However, they include many other substances such as herbals, botanicals, amino acids, and enzymes. Dietary and nutritional supplements also come in many forms such as tablets, capsules, powders, energy bars, or drinks.¹

Sports and bodybuilding supplements promise more power, improved performance, and better health. While your teen may know better than to take steroids, which are illegal, he may think it is okay to use other legal substances. However, most supplements have not been studied thoroughly, especially for the effects on teenage athletes.²

Little Control

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve dietary supplements as safe and effective. Manufacturers and distributors are responsible for making sure that their products are safe and that claims about them are correct. The FDA acts only when it finds that a dietary supplement product carries a high risk of illness or injury.³ Some problems become clear over time through reports of tragedies or through the results of studies that often take years to conduct.

In 2004, the FDA banned the supplement ephedra, also known as ephedrine or ma huang. Ephedra was labeled as a fat burner because it acts as a stimulant, speeding up the nervous system and increasing metabolism. The FDA found that ephedra is risky, especially for people suffering from heart disease and high blood pressure.⁴

Ephedra had been controversial before the FDA declared it illegal. Beginning in the 1990s, several organizations governing sports banned the drug. The United States military banned ephedra from commissaries and military exchanges in 2002 after the deaths of military personnel who were taking the drug.⁵ Ephedra drew added attention when the drug was linked to the death of 23-year-old Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler in 2003.⁶

Uncertain Effects

Because many supplements have not been studied scientifically, we cannot be sure how well they work or if they are dangerous. Supplements that are safe for most people who use them may be risky for others. Groups at increased risk include women who are pregnant or nursing a baby and people who have medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease.

Likewise, a supplement that is safe when taken by itself may cause problems if combined with other medications. Even well-known products such as vitamin supplements, which are widely used and generally considered safe for teens and children, can cause problems under certain conditions. For example, combining supplements and medications that thin the blood can increase the potential for internal bleeding. In addition, vitamins, minerals, herbals, or other supplements can be dangerous for people having surgery. To avoid harmful drug reactions, doctors may ask patients to stop taking these substances 2 or 3 weeks before surgery.⁷

Need for Caution

With so many supplements on the market, each claiming to be effective, knowing which products are safe for a teen to take is difficult. So, if you have a teenager who is driven to win or who frets about her shape, talk with a doctor or pharmacist before she takes a supplement. Including your teen in the discussion will help her understand the seriousness of protecting her health.

Better yet, urge him to hit the gym and reach for those fruits and veggies. Keep nutritious food on hand and plan well-balanced meals. By definition, a supplement is an "add-on," which cannot take the place of making healthy choices related to diet and exercise.

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