Protein Craze

Gabby Schecter, a 14-year-old from San Francisco, California, has been playing sports since she was little. She is currently focused on softball, practicing multiple times a week and playing in seven or eight games each weekend. To play her best, she knows that she needs to stay healthy. One way to do that is by eating enough protein. This nutrient is a key component of muscle and necessary for the body to grow, function, and repair itself.

Right now, protein-packed products seem to be everywhere—from cereals and popcorn to ice cream and salad dressings. Convenience store refrigerators are filled with protein drinks and shakes. Coffee shops are even offering high-protein lattes.

Encouraged by social media influencers, coaches, and parents, many teens believe that eating tons of protein will help them lose weight, get better at sports, or become healthier in general. TikTok and Instagram videos promote trendy diets that treat protein like a magical super-nutrient, capable of quickly solving all health and fitness problems. “When I see the advertisements, I’m like, ‘Oh, does this actually work?’” says Gabby. “And then I think, ‘Probably not.’ There are so many protein products being pushed all the time now. You don’t know what to believe.”

According to a 2024 national poll from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, 41 percent of U.S. parents reported that their teens had consumed some type of protein supplement in the past year. But how much protein do you actually need to be healthy and fit? Let’s break down the science behind this protein mania.

Gabby Schecter is a 14-year-old from San Francisco, California. She’s been playing sports since she was little. Right now, she’s focused on softball. She practices multiple times a week and plays in seven or eight games each weekend. To play her best, she knows that she needs to stay healthy. One way to do that is to eat enough protein. This nutrient is a key component of muscle. The body needs it to grow, function, and repair itself.

Right now, protein-packed products seem to be everywhere. They include cereals and popcorn, ice cream, and salad dressings. Protein drinks and shakes fill convenience store refrigerators. Coffee shops even offer high-protein lattes. 

Many teens believe they should eat tons of protein. Social media influencers, coaches, and parents may encourage this idea. Teens think it will help them lose weight, get better at sports, or become healthier in general. TikTok and Instagram videos promote trendy diets. They treat protein like a magical super-nutrient that can quickly solve all health and fitness problems. “When I see the advertisements, I’m like, ‘Oh, does this actually work?’ ” says Gabby. “And then I think, ‘Probably not.’ There are so many protein products being pushed all the time now. You don’t know what to believe.”

In 2024, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital took a national poll. They asked U.S. parents if their teens had used a protein supplement in the past year. Forty-one percent said yes. But how much protein do you actually need to be healthy and fit? Let’s break down the science behind this protein mania.

Protein is one of the key nutrients you need to consume for your body to work properly (see “Major Macros,” below). It is found naturally in any whole food that comes from a plant or animal—even things like lettuce and potatoes contain small amounts of protein. Certain whole foods—like meat, fish, beans, dairy, and tofu—contain higher amounts of protein.

When you digest food, your body breaks protein into its building blocks, called amino acids. The amino acids are rearranged into new proteins to build muscle and other tissues. Amino acids also form molecules, like enzymes, that do most of the work in your body—from repairing cells to generating energy. “Protein is one of your body’s main building materials,” says Scott Keatley, a dietitian from New York City. “Think of your body like a house. Protein is the bricks, nails, and repair crew all in one. Every time you work out, grow, or recover from being sick, protein is involved.”

Researchers estimate that teens require about 1 gram of protein per1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day. Not eating enough protein for an extended time can cause muscle loss, tiredness, or mood swings. But eating too much can create problems too. Over time, consuming large amounts of protein can cause digestive issues and, in very rare cases, damage to the kidneys and liver.

And there’s a limit to the amount of protein your body can use at one time, says Keatley. “For most teens, that’s roughly 20 to 30 g of protein per meal.” That’s equal to about a smartphone-sized piece of chicken. So instead of drinking a 60 g protein shake for breakfast, Keatley explains, it’s better to eat smaller servings of protein throughout the day. “Extra protein doesn’t automatically turn into muscle,” he adds. “It’s either used as energy or stored, often as fat.”

Protein is one of the key nutrients you need to consume. Without it, your body can’t work properly (see “Major Macros”). It is found naturally in any whole food that comes from a plant or animal. Even things like lettuce and potatoes contain small amounts of protein. Certain whole foods contain higher amounts. They include meat, fish, beans, dairy, and tofu.

When you digest food, your body breaks protein into its building blocks. They’re called amino acids. The amino acids are rearranged into new proteins. This builds muscle and other tissues. Amino acids also form other molecules, like enzymes. They do most of the work in your body. For example, they repair cells and generate energy. “Protein is one of your body’s main building materials,” says Scott Keatley, a dietitian from New York City. “Think of your body like a house. Protein is the bricks, nails, and repair crew all in one. Every time you work out, grow, or recover from being sick, protein is involved.” 

How much protein do teens need? Researchers say about 1 gram of protein per 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day. If you don’t eat enough protein for an extended time, this can cause problems. They include muscle loss, tiredness, or mood swings. But eating too much can create problems too. Over time, consuming large amounts of protein can cause digestive issues. In very rare cases, it can damage the kidneys and liver.

And your body can use only a limited amount of protein at one time, says Keatley. “For most teens, that’s roughly 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal.” That’s equal to about a smartphone-sized piece of chicken. You might think you should drink a 60-gram protein shake for breakfast. But it’s better to eat smaller servings of protein throughout the day, explains Keatley. “Extra protein doesn’t automatically turn into muscle,” he adds. “It’s either used as energy or stored, often as fat.”

In your quest to consume enough protein, it’s much better to get the nutrient from whole foods like beans, eggs, or dairy, says Keatley. In fact, most Americans already get more than enough protein from their regular diet. Not only are supplements and foods with added protein not needed, they can actually have major downsides.

With added protein, products with very little nutritional value overall—like pastries or candy bars—can suddenly seem like healthy options. But these foods are still ultra-processed, often made with a lot of salt, sugar, and saturated fats. And protein supplements—powders and pills—aren’t closely regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. That means their ingredients aren’t verified or tested before being sold to consumers. Some have been found to contain toxic heavy metals, bacteria, or chemicals not listed on the label.

For teens, the biggest risk is that focusing too heavily on protein can cause them to neglect other critical nutrients, says Lauren Hartman, a pediatrician based in California. “Eating a protein shake instead of a bagel with cream cheese might seem like a healthy choice,” says Hartman. “But that bagel is actually providing carbohydrates, which are important for growing teenagers.”

Fourteen-year-old Gabby understands that protein is just one part of a balanced diet. “You can’t just eat a lot of protein and get stronger,” she says. “Focusing on one area of your health isn’t going to make your whole body healthier if you’re not focusing on the other parts.”

What’s the best way to consume enough protein? Get it from whole foods like beans, eggs, or dairy, says Keatley. Most Americans already get more than enough protein from their regular diet. Supplements and foods with added protein are not needed. And they can actually have major downsides.

Products like pastries or candy bars have very little nutritional value. With added protein, they can suddenly seem like healthy choices. But these foods are still ultra-processed. They often have a lot of salt, sugar, and saturated fats. And the U.S. Food & Drug Administration doesn’t closely regulate protein supplements, like powders and pills. That means their ingredients aren’t verified or tested before people buy them. Some have contained toxic heavy metals, bacteria, or chemicals not listed on the label. 

And if you focus too much on protein, you can neglect other important nutrients. That’s the biggest risk for teens, says Lauren Hartman, a pediatrician based in California. “Eating a protein shake instead of a bagel with cream cheese might seem like a healthy choice,” says Hartman. “But that bagel is actually providing carbohydrates, which are important for growing teenagers.”

Fourteen-year-old Gabby understands the point. Protein is just one part of a balanced diet. “You can’t just eat a lot of protein and get stronger,” she says. “Focusing on one area of your health isn’t going to make your whole body healthier if you’re not focusing on the other parts.”