Home›Psychiatry› Aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine may support performance and metabolic adaptation in adolescents
Aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine may support performance and metabolic adaptation in adolescentsWhey protein and creatine may support adolescent exercise performance
Frontiers in MedicinePublished September 26, 2026Study authors: Kun Qin, Juan WuDOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Ji-eun Park, MD · Brain, Mind & Pain
AI-generated summary of the cited source, checked by automated accuracy review.
How we work
Share
Key Takeaway
Note that aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine may have complementary roles for adolescent performance and recovery.
This narrative review synthesizes the physiological and metabolic impacts of aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine. The authors argue that these three components may provide complementary benefits for adolescents, specifically regarding performance, recovery, and metabolic adaptation.
Aerobic exercise is noted to promote oxidative metabolic processes, mitochondrial functionality, and endurance performance while enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic flexibility. Whey protein is highlighted for its role in supplying amino acids to incite muscle protein turnover and modulate signaling cascades for muscle remodeling. Creatine is identified as a factor in adenosine triphosphate regeneration, cellular hydration, and the maintenance of antioxidant defense and mitochondrial integrity, with potential implications for brain energy metabolism and neuroplasticity.
A primary limitation noted by the authors is that much of the mechanistic evidence is derived from animal models or non-adolescent human studies. Furthermore, direct evidence specifically evaluating the combination of these three interventions in adolescents is currently limited. Clinical application is currently limited by these gaps in evidence, and more well-controlled studies are required to confirm these potential synergies.
How this fits prior evidence
This narrative review extends previous findings regarding the benefits of creatine and whey protein in other populations. It builds upon evidence that creatine combined with resistance training significantly increases muscle strength and that whey protein is effective for lean body mass gains. While previous coverage focused on older adults with sarcopenia or healthy older adults, this review addresses the specific physiological roles of these supplements and exercise in an adolescent population.
Growing up involves significant physical changes, and many young athletes look for ways to improve their performance and recovery. Recent research looks at how aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine might work together to support the bodies of adolescents.
Each component plays a specific role. Aerobic exercise helps the body manage energy and improves endurance. Whey protein provides the amino acids needed for muscle repair and remodeling after a workout. Creatine helps maintain cell hydration and supports the body's ability to produce energy, while also potentially supporting brain health and metabolism.
While these ingredients may have complementary roles in helping young people adapt to exercise, it is important to note that much of the underlying science comes from animal studies or older humans. Direct evidence specifically for combining these three elements in adolescents is currently limited. More controlled studies are needed to confirm exactly how these combinations affect younger athletes.
What this means for you:
Whey protein and creatine may complement aerobic exercise to help adolescents with muscle recovery and metabolism.
Common questions
How does whey protein help young athletes?
Whey protein provides amino acids that help with muscle protein turnover. This process is important for muscle remodeling and recovery after physical activity. It also helps trigger the signals in the body that manage how muscles repair themselves after exercise.
What role does creatine play in exercise?
Creatine helps the body regenerate energy at a cellular level. It also helps maintain cell hydration and protects the integrity of mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of your cells. It may also play a role in brain energy metabolism and neuroplasticity.
Is there enough evidence for these supplements in teens?
Current evidence for combining these specific supplements in adolescents is limited. Much of the current knowledge comes from animal studies or studies involving older humans. More well-controlled studies are needed to confirm how these combinations specifically affect adolescents.
Adolescence constitutes a pivotal developmental phase for the enhancement of musculoskeletal and metabolic wellbeing, as well as neurodevelopment, during which specific exercise regimens and nutritional interventions can precipitate enduring physiological transformations. Although aerobic exercise has conventionally been linked to enhancements in cardiovascular fitness and metabolic control, the confluence of this form of exercise with anabolic and ergogenic supplements, including whey protein and creatine, in adolescent populations has not been extensively investigated. This narrative review examines current evidence on aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine in adolescents, with particular emphasis on exercise performance, recovery, immunometabolic adaptation, and muscle–bone–brain crosstalk. A narrative literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using combinations of terms related to aerobic exercise, whey protein, creatine, adolescents, exercise performance, recovery, immunometabolism, and muscle–bone–brain signaling. Relevant peer-reviewed studies published from database inception to May 2026 were considered, with emphasis on adolescent human studies and selected mechanistic evidence from experimental and adult populations when directly relevant to biological interpretation. Aerobic exercise promotes oxidative metabolic processes, mitochondrial functionality, and endurance performance, thereby enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic flexibility. Whey protein supplies critical amino acids that incite muscle protein turnover and modulate pivotal signaling cascades, thereby supporting muscle remodeling and recovery. Creatine, in addition to its function in the swift regeneration of adenosine triphosphate, plays a significant role in cellular hydration, the preservation of mitochondrial integrity, and the maintenance of antioxidant defense mechanisms, while also potentially influencing brain energy metabolism and brain-derived neurotrophic factor-mediated neuroplasticity. Emerging evidence further suggests that exercise and nutritional interventions may influence inflammatory mediators, myokines, osteokines, and neurotrophic pathways involved in muscle–bone–brain communication. However, mechanistic evidence is frequently derived from animal or non-adolescent human studies, and direct evidence for combined interventions in adolescents remains limited. Overall, aerobic exercise, whey protein, and creatine may have complementary roles in supporting exercise performance, recovery, and metabolic adaptation during adolescence, although further well-controlled adolescent studies are needed to establish their long-term efficacy, safety, and optimal use.
