Do Teens Really Need More Protein?

The short answer: most teens are already fine. Despite the noise, the evidence is reassuring. Adolescents eating a reasonably varied diet are generally meeting their protein needs without any special effort. The exceptions worth flagging are teens facing food insecurity or those eating vegan, where a bit more intentionality helps ensure adequate intake. For the majority, though, protein isn't the gap.

Aim for consistency, not grams

Adolescence is a metabolically demanding stretch, and consistency matters as much as content. Regular meals and snacks, with more fuel added on higher-activity days, tend to serve teens better than any specific gram target. The more useful clinical framing for patients is simple: eating until genuinely satisfied, hitting a range of food groups, and eating consistently through the day, rather than counting or tallying.

Where it can go wrong: crowding out other food groups

The pattern worth flagging is when teens lean heavily on protein shakes and powders and end up limiting carbohydrates and fat without realizing it. Stomach capacity is finite, and if protein is taking up more of that space, something else is getting displaced. The imbalance isn't really about protein being harmful; it's about what protein-heavy eating quietly pushes out.

The tracking risk

This is worth mentioning explicitly : when we focus on hitting protein targets, it can run the risk of nudging teens toward tracking grams and calories more broadly.  There's fairly solid evidence linking nutrient and calorie tracking apps to disordered eating in teens and young adults. A conversation that starts as "make sure you're getting enough protein" can, for a vulnerable teen, tip into a tracking habit that outlasts the original intent.

What to focus on:

• Whole foods first. Protein from regular meals, not powders or supplements, keeps kids connected to normal, varied eating rather than a checklist.

• Situational supplement use is fine. A shake after a game when a teen is on the go is a reasonable, occasional tool. The concern is when products become the primary source rather than a convenience.

• Skip the gram-counting. Encourage intuitive, relaxed eating patterns over tracking.

• If using products, vet them. Supplements aren't tightly regulated; look for reputable, transparent manufacturers.

• Ask why. If a teen (or their parent) is fixated on protein, it's worth gently exploring whether the underlying driver is body image or muscularity concerns rather than nutrition itself.

This was adapted from my interview in Teen Vogue's piece on "How Much Protein Does a Teen Really Need? Experts Weigh in on Protein-maxxing”.  You can read it here.