How to Find the Best Protein Shakes for Teens

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Dietitian’s guide on how to find the best protein shakes for teens.

Discover how to safely supplement your protein intake.

Last Updated
Jan 31, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Kayla Kamen, MS, RD

Kayla Kamen is a Registered Dietitian with a MS in Nutrition.

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Fossett, PA-C

Jennifer Fossett is a Physician Assistant with a BA in Nutritional Sciences.

Protein Shakes for Teens

Protein is essential for the growth and development of teens as it is found in every cell in the body, serving as the primary building block of muscles, skin, and bones.

It also plays an important role in producing hormones and antibodies that protect against illness.

Needless to say, eating enough protein is important for teens, especially during growth spurts.

For teenagers ages 14 to 18, the Dietary Reference Intake for protein is 0.85 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (Nutrients, 2021).

For most teenagers, this translates to 40 to 50 grams of protein per day.

But keep in mind that active teens, like those participating in organized sports, might need considerably more protein.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that young athletes consume 1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/day to support both endurance and strength training needs (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2009).

This elevated intake can generally be met through a balanced diet without protein supplements, but some teenagers, like those with dietary restrictions or food aversions, might need a little help.

Are Protein Shakes Good for Teens?

Adding a protein supplement to a teenager’s diet can be an easy way to ensure that he or she is meeting his or her protein needs.

Protein supplements should not replace other protein sources, but they can be a healthy and effective way to fill in nutritional gaps.

Here are a few instances where protein shakes may be beneficial for teens:

1. Sports: Teenage athletes might require extra protein to support muscle growth and recovery.
2. Busy days: Teens juggling school, sports, and other extracurricular activities might not have enough time or energy to eat balanced meals consistently.
3. Picky eating and dietary restrictions: Teens who are picky eaters or who have dietary restrictions might find it difficult to eat enough protein.
4. Recovery from illness or injury: Teens recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery might have higher protein needs to help with tissue repair and healing.
5. Growth spurts: During periods of rapid growth, such as puberty, teens might require extra protein to support the development of muscles, bones, and tissues.
6. Weight management: For teens who struggle to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight, a protein shake can be a healthy alternative to junk food or empty calories.

In short, protein shakes can serve as a convenient source of protein when other protein sources are not available, practical, or sufficient.

That said, not all protein shakes are created equal.

What Are the Best Protein Shakes for Teens?

Many protein supplements contain ingredients known to cause painful side effects and even long-term health problems.

Among the top offenders are food additives and protein concentrates and isolates.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and other ultra-processed additives can alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2019).

These shifts, known gut dysbiosis, contribute to a wide range of chronic diseases, including diabetes and even certain cancers (J Exp Med, 2019).

Gut dysbiosis is so problematic because it causes a cascade of problems, including intestinal permeability, systemic inflammation, impaired nutrient absorption, and reduced short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production.

⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

As a rule of thumb, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it is a food additive.

🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

You should also consider avoiding protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein powders are made from one or both of these protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which can affect your gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Nutrients, 2018; Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

So instead of ultra-processed protein concentrates or isolates, look for whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds.

They are easier to digest and absorb.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. Nutrients (Nutrients). Dietary Protein Requirements in Children: Methods for Consideration. 2021.
2. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (Med Sci Sports Exerc). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Nutrition and athletic performance.. 2009.
3. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
4. The Journal of Experimental Medicine (J Exp Med). The gut microbiome: Relationships with disease and opportunities for therapy. 2019.
5. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
6. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions.. 2024.

Editorial Guidelines

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This article was written by a Registered Dietitian and reviewed by a Physician Assistant. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.