Although teenage bodybuilding portends huge benefits for modern youth, there is a downside that can rightly be attributed to lifestyle. Experts say the biggest concern raised by modern teen bodybuilders is stunting. When a teenager, whose body is in the prime stage of growth, puts his muscles under the strain of killer weights, the body may take sixteen years to grow taller. This is primarily because such oppressive weights cause their growth plates to close prematurely when full growth has not yet been achieved.
This theory of potential growth retardation, especially when the adolescent performs intense weight training exercises at a very young age, has been proven by many medical professionals in objective studies. Therefore, this requires moderation during the early ages of a teenage bodybuilder until the body adjusts to the challenges of intensive bodybuilding workouts.
The second potential danger of bodybuilding in adolescents is the prevalence of serious muscle and bone injuries or tears. Teenagers are not only enthusiastic, but also extremely careless. This is especially more common if a group of teens join together during training, such as in school gyms. Some potential injuries can greatly limit future bodybuilding possibilities, cause severe suffering, or even death. Preventing these events is as simple as having the supervision of a trained adult instructor on hand during training sessions to reorder and guide the exercises.
Probably the most serious and relevant danger that adolescent bodybuilding imposes on parents and government authorities is contemporary steroid abuse and addictions. The market is now totally saturated with dangerous supplements that can cut off a youngster’s hope for their own breakouts. Even the most harmless and beneficial supplements are bound to be abused when placed in the hands of ignorant youth. However, these young people do not need a prescription or guidance on the use and dosage of such supplements because they can easily order dozens of them online.
Exposure of young people to illegal steroids, performance enhancers, and human growth enhancers has in many cases been shown to be tragic or at least harmful. Teens ignore the potential dangers of steroid abuse in exchange for a rapid increase in muscle mass. Advertising of unregulated supplements makes useless and harmful products seem like fundamental requirements for successful bodybuilding, and ignorant young people are too naive to question the authenticity of such claims. Supplements can also help adolescent body development if taken very carefully according to given instructions on dosage or timing or even as directed by a dieter. Balanced natural foods are sufficient for teenage bodybuilders.
These, among others, are the problems associated with bodybuilding in teens. However, they lose importance when placed alongside the potential benefits of such a lifestyle. So the point is to balance the dangers, avoid them, and at the same time amplify the benefits of such a muscle-building program.