The Complete Nutrition Guide for Teen Athletes: Evidence-Based Sports Nutrition

Teen athletes aren't just "small adults"

Teen athletes face one of the greatest nutritional challenges of any age group. They are expected to balance rapid growth, demanding training schedules, school, travel, competitions and recovery, all while consuming enough nutrients to support both athletic performance and normal development.

Unlike adult athletes, adolescents are simultaneously building bone, muscle, hormones and brain tissue. Their nutritional needs extend beyond improving race times or match performance. They directly influence growth, puberty, immunity, learning, injury risk and long-term health.

Over the past 14+ years, while working with more than 4,500 families, including competitive swimmers, national-level athletes and adolescents participating in high-performance sport, I've noticed that many young athletes are disciplined in training but inconsistent in their nutrition.

Surprisingly, poor performance is rarely caused by a lack of talent. More often, it results from under-fuelling, inadequate recovery, dehydration or nutrient deficiencies that develop gradually over time.

Parents frequently ask:

• Is my child eating enough?

• How much protein does a teenage athlete really need?

• Are supplements necessary?

• What should they eat before an early morning swim?

• Does skipping breakfast affect performance?

• Can nutrition improve recovery and reduce injuries?

The answer to all of these questions is yes. But only when nutrition is approached strategically and consistently.

This comprehensive guide brings together the latest scientific evidence, international sports nutrition guidelines and practical clinical experience to help parents, coaches and young athletes make informed decisions about nutrition that support healthy growth and peak performance.

Whether your teenager competes in swimming, athletics, football, badminton, tennis, cricket, gymnastics or endurance sports, the principles discussed in this guide can help them fuel smarter, recover faster and perform at their best.

Why Nutrition Matters More During Adolescence

Adolescence represents one of the most nutritionally demanding periods of life. Between the ages of approximately 10 and 19 years, the body undergoes dramatic physical, hormonal and neurological changes. During this period, teenagers experience:

• Rapid increases in height and weight

• Significant gains in lean muscle mass

• Increased bone mineralisation

• Hormonal maturation

• Brain development

• Improvements in coordination, strength and power

For young athletes, these natural developmental processes occur alongside regular training sessions that may range from six to more than twenty hours each week.

This means nutrition must simultaneously support:

• Growth

• Athletic performance

• Recovery

• Immune function

• Academic performance

• Hormonal health

Insufficient nutrition during adolescence doesn't simply reduce athletic performance. It can impair normal growth and development.

The Three Priorities of Teen Sports Nutrition

Many parents assume sports nutrition revolves around protein powders or expensive supplements.

In reality, successful sports nutrition focuses on three core priorities:

1. Support Normal Growth

A teenager who is not growing appropriately is unlikely to reach their athletic potential. Nutrition should first provide sufficient energy and nutrients for healthy development before attempting to optimise sports performance. Growth should never be compromised for leanness.

2. Fuel Training

Every training session creates a physiological demand. Running, swimming, cycling, strength training and team sports all require carbohydrate, fluid and varying amounts of protein depending on the duration and intensity of exercise.

Appropriate fuelling allows athletes to:

• Maintain training quality

• Delay fatigue

• Improve concentration

• Support skill execution

• Reduce injury risk

3. Recover Effectively

Training stimulates adaptation only when recovery occurs. Recovery nutrition supports:

• Muscle repair

• Glycogen replenishment

• Hydration

• Reduced muscle soreness

• Adaptation to training

Recovery begins immediately after exercise, not the following day.

The Pragmatic Performance Plan

Through years of clinical practice with adolescent athletes, I've found that the most successful performers consistently master five foundations before focusing on advanced nutrition strategies.

1. Eat Enough

Adequate total energy intake is the foundation of every successful nutrition plan. No supplement can compensate for chronic under-fuelling.

2. Hydrate Well

Even mild dehydration can impair:

• concentration

• reaction time

• sprint performance

• endurance

• recovery

Hydration should begin well before training starts.

3. Prioritise Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates remain the body's preferred fuel for moderate- and high-intensity exercise. Young athletes who consistently avoid carbohydrates often struggle with fatigue, slower recovery and reduced training quality.

4. Optimise Protein

Protein supports:

• muscle growth

• muscle repair

• immune function

• adaptation to training

Rather than consuming large amounts in one meal, protein should be distributed evenly throughout the day.

5. Fine-Tune Supplements

Supplements should only be considered after:

✓ adequate energy intake ✓ appropriate meal timing ✓ good hydration ✓ consistent recovery ✓ balanced diet

In my clinical practice, this is often where parents and athletes make their first mistake. Many ask about protein powders, creatine or sports drinks before addressing skipped breakfasts, inconsistent meal timing or inadequate total calorie intake. Optimising these fundamentals usually delivers the greatest improvements in both performance and recovery.

Energy Availability: The Most Overlooked Factor in Teen Athletes

One of the biggest nutrition problems I encounter among competitive adolescent athletes is low energy availability. Many teenagers unintentionally eat less than they need because of:

• Busy school schedules

• Early morning training

• Loss of appetite after exercise

• Fear of gaining weight

• Long travel times

• Limited food choices during competitions

When energy intake consistently fails to meet the combined demands of growth and exercise, the body begins to conserve energy by reducing physiological functions.

This can affect:

• growth

• puberty

• bone health

• menstrual function

• immunity

• recovery

• training adaptations

• mood

• academic performance

Over time, this state may contribute to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), a condition recognised by the International Olympic Committee. Importantly, RED-S affects both male and female athletes and can occur in athletes of any body size—not just those who appear underweight.

Clinical Insights

One of the most common misconceptions I encounter is that a teenager who "looks healthy" must also be eating enough. In reality, I frequently see adolescent athletes who maintain a normal body weight but experience persistent fatigue, slower recovery, frequent illnesses or declining performance because their energy intake has not kept pace with increasing training loads.

Often, simply increasing total carbohydrate intake and improving meal timing produces noticeable improvements within a few weeks.

Why This Matters for Parents

Parents often focus on what happens during training. But nutrition between training sessions is equally important. The hours spent at school, commuting, studying and sleeping determine whether an athlete arrives at the next session prepared to perform or already under-fuelled.

A teenager who consistently skips breakfast, delays lunch or relies on convenience snacks may struggle to recover fully, even if they eat well at dinner. Building regular eating habits is therefore just as important as choosing the "right" foods.

Understanding Energy Needs: How Much Should a Teen Athlete Eat?

One of the first questions parents ask is:

"How many calories does my child need?"

While it's a logical question, there is no single number that applies to every adolescent athlete. Energy requirements vary depending on:

• Age

• Sex

• Height and weight

• Stage of puberty

• Growth velocity

• Training volume

• Training intensity

• Type of sport

• Body composition goals

• Daily physical activity outside of sport

For example, a 14-year-old swimmer training twice daily has vastly different nutritional requirements from a 15-year-old badminton player training three evenings per week. This is why calorie calculators often underestimate the needs of growing athletes.

Growth Always Comes First

One of the biggest misconceptions in youth sport is that athletes should eat only according to how much they train. In reality, nutrition has to support both training and growth.

Unlike adults, adolescents are building:

• Muscle tissue

• Bone

• Connective tissue

• Hormones

• Brain tissue

Every growth spurt increases nutritional demands before training is considered. When energy intake is inadequate, the body must decide where to allocate limited resources. Athletic performance may decline, growth may slow, or recovery may be compromised.

As clinicians, our goal is not simply to calculate calories. It is to ensure that young athletes consistently meet the demands of growth, development and sport.

Signs a Teen Athlete May Not Be Eating Enough

Low energy intake doesn't always result in weight loss. Many athletes maintain a stable weight while gradually developing symptoms of under-fuelling. Parents and coaches should watch for:

Performance Signs

• Declining performance despite training

• Fatigue during the latter part of sessions

• Difficulty maintaining pace

• Reduced sprint performance

• Poor concentration during practice

Recovery Signs

• Persistent muscle soreness

• Slow recovery between sessions

• Heavy legs

• Reduced motivation to train

Health Signs

• Frequent colds or infections

• Delayed wound healing

• Hair loss

• Brittle nails

• Stress fractures

• Menstrual irregularities in girls

Growth and Development

• Plateauing height velocity

• Delayed puberty

• Reduced appetite

• Mood changes

• Poor sleep quality

One symptom alone may not indicate a problem, but a pattern should prompt further assessment by a sports nutrition professional and, where appropriate, a medical evaluation.

Carbohydrates: The Primary Fuel for Performance

Among all nutrients, carbohydrates remain the most misunderstood, and often the most unfairly criticised.

Social media has popularised low-carbohydrate diets, but these recommendations are largely based on adult weight-loss strategies, not the needs of growing athletes.

Clinical Insight from Practice

Over the past 14 years, one of the biggest differences I've noticed between athletes who consistently improve and those who plateau isn't genetics. It is consistency in meeting their energy needs. Many teenagers train like elite athletes but eat like sedentary adolescents. This mismatch often shows up as fatigue, recurrent illness, slower recovery, or unexplained declines in performance long before it appears on the weighing scale.

For adolescent athletes, carbohydrates are the body's preferred fuel during moderate- to high-intensity exercise. During activities such as swimming, football, hockey, athletics, badminton and basketball, muscles heavily rely on stored glycogen, which is derived from dietary carbohydrate. When glycogen stores become depleted, athletes often experience:

• Early fatigue

• Reduced power output

• Slower reaction times

• Impaired decision-making

• Reduced training quality

This is why carbohydrate intake should match training demands rather than be unnecessarily restricted.

How Much Carbohydrate Does a Teen Athlete Need?

Daily carbohydrate requirements vary according to training load.

Training Load	Approximate Carbohydrate Intake
Light activity	3–5 g/kg/day
Moderate training (≈1 hour/day)	5–7 g/kg/day
High training loads (1–3 hours/day)	6–10 g/kg/day
Very high endurance training (>4 hours/day)	8–12 g/kg/day

These are general guidelines and should be individualised.

Practical Example

A 55 kg competitive swimmer training twice daily may require approximately 330–440 g of carbohydrate per day, depending on the training phase and competition schedule. Rather than consuming this in one or two meals, it can be distributed throughout the day to support training and recovery.

The Best Carbohydrate Sources

Choosing carbohydrate-rich foods does not mean relying on processed sugars. For most Indian athletes, excellent carbohydrate sources include:

Whole Grains

• Rice

• Brown rice

• Idli

• Dosa

• Whole wheat chapati

• Oats

• Millets

Fruits

• Banana

• Mango

• Apple

• Orange

• Grapes

• Papaya

• Watermelon

Starchy Vegetables

• Potato

• Sweet potato

• Corn

• Tapioca

Legumes

• Rajma

• Chana

• Moong

• Masoor dal

During competition or immediately before exercise, lower-fibre, easily digestible carbohydrate sources such as bananas, bread, rice, poha or sports drinks may be more appropriate.

Protein: Supporting Growth, Recovery and Adaptation

Protein has become one of the most heavily marketed nutrients in sport. While adequate protein is important, many families overestimate how much is needed and underestimate the importance of overall dietary quality.

Protein supports:

• Growth

• Muscle repair

• Muscle protein synthesis

• Immune function

• Hormone production

• Enzyme activity

For adolescents, protein should complement, not replace adequate carbohydrate intake.

How Much Protein Does a Teen Athlete Need?

Most adolescent athletes require approximately: 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day

depending on:

• Training volume

• Sport

• Growth stage

• Energy intake

• Overall dietary quality

This amount is usually achievable through food without routine supplementation.

Example

A 60 kg athlete generally requires: 72–120 g of protein per day, distributed evenly across meals and snacks.

Protein Distribution Matters More Than One Large Meal

Research consistently suggests that spreading protein intake across the day supports muscle protein synthesis more effectively than consuming most of it at dinner. Aim to include a good-quality protein source at:

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

• Post-training snack

Examples include:

• Milk

• Curd

• Greek yogurt

• Eggs

• Chicken

• Fish

• Paneer

• Tofu

• Soy products

• Dal

• Lentils

• Beans

For vegetarian athletes, combining cereals and pulses across the day helps improve overall protein quality.

Do Teen Athletes Need Protein Powders?

This is one of the most common questions I receive from parents. The answer is: Not routinely. Most healthy adolescent athletes can meet their protein requirements through a well-planned diet. Protein powders may be considered in specific situations, such as:

• Very high training volumes

• Limited appetite

• Difficulty meeting protein requirements through food

• Travel during competition

• Medical conditions affecting intake

However, supplements should never replace balanced meals. Families should also be aware that dietary supplements are not regulated to the same standard as medicines in many countries, increasing the risk of contamination or inaccurate labelling.

Whenever supplementation is considered, it should be discussed with a qualified sports nutrition professional.

Healthy Fats: Essential for Growth and Hormonal Health

Fat is another nutrient that is frequently misunderstood. Many teenagers, particularly those in aesthetic or weight-category sports, become overly restrictive with dietary fat.

However, healthy fats are essential for:

• Brain development

• Hormone production

• Cell membrane integrity

• Absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K)

• Long-duration exercise

Good dietary fat sources include:

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Nut butters

• Avocado

• Olive oil

• Fatty fish

• Flaxseed

• Chia seeds

Extremely low-fat diets are not recommended for growing athletes.

Micronutrients Parents Often Overlook

Vitamins and minerals rarely get the attention carbohydrate and protein do. But, these deficiencies show up again and again in my clinic among adolescent athletes — often before a growth or performance problem becomes obvious.

Iron

Iron carries oxygen to working muscles. Training itself increases iron turnover, and menstruating athletes lose additional iron each month. Low iron shows up as fatigue, breathlessness during sessions that used to feel easy, and poor concentration — symptoms that are easy to mistake for simply needing more sleep.

Good sources: lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dark leafy greens, dal and legumes (paired with a vitamin C source like citrus or amla to improve absorption from plant foods).

Read our blog on 10 iron rich vegetarian foods to increase hemoglobin.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Adolescence is when peak bone mass is built. Athletes in weight-restricted or indoor sports, and those with limited sun exposure, are at particular risk of low vitamin D.

Good sources: dairy, ragi, sesame seeds, fortified foods, and sensible sun exposure. Vitamin D supplementation is common in clinical practice but should be guided by a blood test, not guesswork.

Iron, Calcium and Vitamin D Together

Because deficiencies in these three are common, gradual and easy to miss, I recommend periodic blood work for athletes training more than 8–10 hours a week, particularly for those with unexplained fatigue, recurrent illness or a stagnating performance trend.

Hydration: A Deeper Look

Thirst is a lagging indicator — by the time a teenager feels thirsty, performance has often already started to decline.

Practical hydration targets:

• 2–3 hours before training: 400–600 ml of water

• During training: 150–250 ml every 15–20 minutes, more in hot or humid conditions

• After training: replace roughly 1.5 times the fluid lost through sweat

For sessions under 60 minutes, water is usually sufficient. For sessions longer than 60–90 minutes, or in hot, humid conditions typical of much of India, an electrolyte drink helps maintain sodium balance and supports fluid absorption.

A simple, practical check: pale, plentiful urine generally signals good hydration; dark, infrequent urine is a signal to drink more.

Competition-Day Nutrition

Competition day is not the time to try something new. The core principles:

• Eat a familiar, carbohydrate-rich breakfast 2–3 hours before the event

• Keep pre-event snacks simple and low in fibre and fat to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort

• Sip fluids regularly through the day rather than drinking a large volume at once

• Between multiple events or heats, favour easily digestible carbohydrate — banana, energy bar, or diluted juice

• Save trying a new food, supplement or drink for training days, never for competition

Common Mistakes I See in Practice

• Judging whether a teen is "eating enough" purely by how they look

• Chasing protein while under-fuelling on carbohydrate

• Skipping breakfast before early morning training

• Introducing supplements before fixing meal timing and total intake

• Treating all athletes the same regardless of sport, sex, or stage of puberty

• Ignoring the recovery window between double sessions

• Restricting fat in the name of "clean eating"

When to See a Sports Nutrition Professional

Consider a formal assessment if your teen athlete shows:

• A pattern of two or more of the warning signs listed earlier in this guide

• Plateauing or declining performance despite consistent training

• Recurrent illness or slow recovery from minor injuries

• Delayed puberty or menstrual irregularities

• Significant dietary restrictions (vegetarian/vegan, food allergies, disordered eating patterns)

• Training loads above 10–12 hours a week

An individualised assessment accounts for growth stage, training load, sport-specific demands and food preferences, something a generic diet plan cannot do.

The Bottom Line

Teen athletes are not small adults, and their nutrition shouldn't be planned like an adult's. Growth comes first. Training fuel comes second. Recovery ties it all together. Supplements are the last five per cent, not the first.

Most of the performance gains I see in clinical practice don't come from anything exotic, they come from consistent breakfasts, well-timed snacks, adequate carbohydrate intake, evenly distributed protein, and good hydration habits, sustained over months and years.

If you're a parent, coach or young athlete looking for individualised guidance, working with a qualified sports nutritionist who understands both adolescent development and sport-specific demands can make the difference between a talented athlete who plateaus and one who reaches their full potential.

Book a free discovery call to understand how our nutrition prgroams can support your teenage athlete.

References:

Energy Availability, RED-S & Growth

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2. Optimizing Performance Nutrition for Adolescent Athletes: A Review of Dietary Needs, Risks, and Practical Strategies. Nutrients, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12430154/

3. Nutrition for the pediatric athlete. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15231224/

4. Nutrition for Children and Adolescents Who Practice Sport: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11357223/

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6. Youth and Adolescent Athlete Musculoskeletal Health: Dietary and Nutritional Strategies to Optimise Injury Prevention and Support Recovery. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11587028/

Overall Sports Nutrition Guidelines

7. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. (2016). American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics / Dietitians of Canada / ACSM). PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26891166/

8. ACSM. Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 🔒 https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/1996/10000/ACSM_Position_Stand__Exercise_and_Fluid.45.aspx

Carbohydrates

9. AAP Committee on Nutrition and Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents: Are They Appropriate? Pediatrics, 2011. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/127/6/1182/30098/Sports-Drinks-and-Energy-Drinks-for-Children-and

Protein

10. Jäger R, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise. Journal of the ISSN. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

11. Campbell B, et al. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise (original). PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2117006/

12. Mamerow MM, et al. Dietary Protein Distribution Positively Influences 24-h Muscle Protein Synthesis in Healthy Adults. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24477298/

Iron

13. Iron Deficiency in Athletes: Insights for Sports Nutrition. European Society of Medicine, 2025. https://esmed.org/iron-deficiency-in-athletes-insights-for-sports-nutrition/

14. Iron deficiency, supplementation, and sports performance in female athletes: A systematic review. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254624001674

15. The IRONy in Athletic Performance. PMC, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10708480/

16. Iron and the female athlete: a review of dietary treatment methods for improving iron status and exercise performance. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4596414/

17. Iron Status and Physical Performance in Athletes. MDPI, 2023. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/10/2007

18. Iron deficiency in sports – definition, influence on performance and therapy. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26512429/

Vitamin D & Bone Health

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20. Vitamin D and the Athlete: Risks, Recommendations, and Benefits. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725481/

21. The Importance of Vitamin D for Athletes. Gatorade Sports Science Institute. https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/sse-148-the-importance-of-vitamin-d-for-athletes

22. Role of Vitamin D in Athletes and Their Performance: Current Concepts and New Trends. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071499/

23. Seasonal variation in vitamin D status, bone health and athletic performance in competitive university student athletes. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7054308/

24. Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in Elite Athletes: A Systematic Review. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38188620/

Hydration

25. Sawka MN, et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement (full statement, ResearchGate mirror). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232208129_ACSM_Position_Stand_Exercise_and_Fluid_Replacement

Disordered Eating & Body Image

26. A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of the prevalence of self-reported disordered eating and associated factors among athletes worldwide. Journal of Eating Disorders, 2024. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-024-00982-5

27. Examination of the Clinical Utility of Eating Disorder and Disordered Eating Screening Tools in Young Athletes: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. https://ijspt.scholasticahq.com/article/126965-examination-of-the-clinical-utility-of-eating-disorder-and-disordered-eating-screening-tools-in-young-athletes-a-scoping-review

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29. Prevalence of potential risk of eating disorders among young, unprofessional European athletes: results of the ERASMUS+ project SCAED. PMC, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11518752/

Supplements: Caffeine & Creatine

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32. Jagim AR, et al. (2018). Safety of Creatine Supplementation in Active Adolescents and Youth: A Brief Review. Frontiers in Nutrition. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2018.00115/full

33. Kreider RB, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation in Exercise, Sport, and Medicine. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5469049/

Supplement Safety & Contamination

34. Dietary Supplement and Food Contaminations and Their Implications for Doping Controls. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7466328/

35. Dietary Supplements as a Major Cause of Anti-doping Rule Violations. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8990797/

36. Seven Points for Athletes to Consider Before Using a Dietary Supplement. AMA Journal of Ethics, 2022. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/seven-points-athletes-consider-using-dietary-supplement/2022-05

Breakfast, Meal Timing & Concentration

37. Breakfast: A Crucial Meal for Adolescents' Cognitive Performance According to Their Nutritional Status. The Cogni-Action Project. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8073030/

38. Breakfast skipping and cognitive and emotional engagement at school: a cross-sectional population-level study. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9991782/

39. The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322007475

40. The effect of breakfast cereal consumption on adolescents' cognitive performance and mood. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834293/