Student Athlete Recruiting Education
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THE ATHLETE'S KITCHEN                          

Copyright: Nancy Clark, MS, RD

Sport Parents Ask 

Q: My 12 year old son feels embarrassed that he is shorter than many of the girls his age. Will protein supplements help him grow faster?

A: No amount of extra protein will speed the growth process. Boys generally grow fastest between the ages of 13 and 14. After this growth spurt, he will have enough male hormones to add muscle mass and to start to grow a beard ("peach fuzz"). This growth spurt lasts longer in boys than in girls, and after the growth spurt boys continue to grow slowly until about age 20.

Q: My 11 year old son wants to start lifting weights to bulk up. Should he?

A: Weight lifting (with light weights and a well-supervised program to prevent stress on immature bones and ligaments) can help your son get stronger. But it will not contribute to bulkier muscles until he has enough male hormones to support muscular development. Boys bulk up after they have finished their growth spurt. Remind him that patience is a virtue.

False. Muscles do not turn to fat, nor does fat turn into muscle. They are two separate entities and are not interchangeable. Perhaps you have noticed a fat layer on roast beef or pork chops. A similar fat layer occurs with humans. The fat tissue is a layer of fat-filled cells that covers the muscles. Muscle is the protein-rich tissue that performs exercise. When you exercise, you build up muscle tissue. When you consume fewer calories than you expend, you reduce the fat layer.

If, due to injury or illness, you are unable to exercise your muscles may lose their tone, but they won’t turn to fat. Unexercised muscle issue actually shrinks in size. For example, Joe, a skier, broke his leg and was shocked to see how scrawny his calf looked when the cast was removed five weeks later. Once Joe started exercising again he rebuilt the muscle to its original size.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD specializes in nutrition for exercise. She offers private nutrition consultations at SportsMedicine Brookline. Her popular Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 2nd edition ($20) and The New York City Marathon Cookbook ($23) are available by sending a check payable to Sports Nutrition Services to 830 Boylston St #205, Brookline MA 02467. Or, order via Amazon.com