would my teenage son benefit from protein shakes?

Amica_2

Definitely not. The only way a shake would speed up his growth is by containing steroids within the formula, which is an absolute no-no, for anyone. Besides, most protein shakes sold to the public are rubbish, not only low quality, but containing pesticides, hormones, artificial sweeteners, colourings and stimulants. The only way to get a proper one is by consulting a qualified nutritionist, NOT a shop assistant, bodybuilder or a fitness magazine full of ads (just on a side note).

Also adding extra protein to his diet can put extra pressure on kidneys and may increase risk of developing kidney stones as the time goes by.

So let the nature decide. Sometimes it takes time, it's the genetics and often depends on how tall the parents are. In addition, any kid or teen can get enough protein from a well-balanced diet. If in doubt, consult a nutritionist specialising in childrens health.

All the best.

Bargain_Bette

Boys don't tend to start growing before 16. 13 is quite young for boys to go through their growth spurt. Girls go through it earlier and stop growing earlier, this is why in general girls are shorter then boys.

Boys who develop faster often end up being more stocky and short. Think of the boys you went to school with that developed big muscles and beards early on. They never grew to be 6ft plus.

Boys do not normally start growing until they are about 16.

Unless there is a dramatic difference between him and the other average boys his age, I wouldn't worry. He is only 13 and while he feels like he's a "grown up" physically this doesn't really happen for at least another 3 years.

Hope this helps

amersall

welshbookworm wrote: »

My son at 12 was less than 5 foot tall and was upset as his brother (2 years younger) was nearly 6 inches taller than him!
By the time he was 15 he had grown a lot! And now is a 6 foot 3 inch 25 year old !
His brother is 6 foot 6!
Different children grow at different rates

My son was small at 12, he is now 30 and is over 6 foot tall , you are right, children grow at different rates and it would not do for us all to be the same would it?.
My Daughter on the other hand is 32 and is still small, 5 foot 1 inch
just like me, she hates being small but as pmduk said "nice things come in small packages" so does Arsenic said my Hubby :rotfl: