Healthnews24South Africa's supplement answer desk

Should school athletes take supplements in South Africa?

Healthnews24 editorial deskUpdated 2 min read
Answer first

Generally no. South African anti-doping and rugby bodies advise a food-first approach for school athletes, and SAIDS recommends against supplements for performance under 18. Supplement use is common, with 30 to 54% of school rugby players reporting it, but most advice comes from the internet and magazines. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before buying anything.

  • A 2022 scoping review of five South African surveys found 30% to 54% of high school rugby players use supplements; protein was most common (31% to 79%) and creatine 16% to 37%.
  • The internet (74%) and magazines (72%) were the main information sources; only 4% cited a dietitian in one survey.
  • SAIDS recommends against supplements for performance under 18 and reported 6 steroid positives from 122 tests at the 2018 Craven Week.
  • Strict liability applies: athletes are responsible for anything in their sample, including contaminated supplements.

How common is supplement use in school sport?

A 2022 scoping review in the South African Journal of Sports Medicine (Harmse and Noorbhai) pulled together five surveys of South African high school rugby players. It found reported supplement use of roughly 30% to 54%, with protein the most common (31% to 79% across studies) and creatine used by 16% to 37%. The main information sources were the internet (74%) and magazines (72%); only 4% cited a dietitian in one study. One survey found 84% of players felt pressure to use supplements.

Why is the advice conservative?

  • Contamination and doping. Athletes are strictly liable for what is in their bodies under the World Anti-Doping Code, adopted in South Africa through SAIDS. SAIDS notes that third-party testing reduces but does not remove risk, and its leaflet recommends against supplements for performance in under-18s. SAIDS reported 6 steroid positives from 122 tests at the 2018 Craven Week, a reminder of the wider doping culture.
  • Food covers most needs. Teenagers rarely need powders if meals are adequate.
  • Limited safety data. Studies of many ingredients are in adults. ISSN considers creatine acceptable for serious, supervised adolescent athletes eating a balanced diet, but food-first and professional oversight are prudent.
  • Marketing pressure. Stimulant pre-workouts, fat burners and "mass" products are heavily advertised to teens.

What should school athletes do instead?

  1. Eat enough. Three meals plus two or three snacks, with a protein source each time. Examples: 2 large eggs (about 12 g protein), a glass of milk (about 8 g), a palm-sized portion of chicken or fish (20 to 30 g).
  2. Fuel training and matches with carbohydrate: rice, pap, bread, potatoes, fruit.
  3. Drink water and eat salty food after heavy sessions.
  4. Sleep and manage training load.
  5. See a registered dietitian or sports doctor if you struggle to gain weight, are growing fast or have a very heavy schedule.

What if a parent or coach still wants a product?

  • Involve a doctor or registered dietitian first.
  • Choose a single-ingredient product from a reputable maker; avoid stimulant pre-workouts, fat burners, testosterone boosters and "proprietary blends".
  • Check any "tested" claim on the scheme's own register; SAIDS endorses no brand. Our guide to Informed Sport explains what the logo means.
  • Never use a product your child cannot show you the label for, and keep the batch number.

For related questions see can teenagers take whey protein, is creatine safe for teenagers and supplements for rugby players.

When to see a doctor

Any young athlete with unexplained weight loss, fatigue, frequent injury or an eating disorder concern, or who takes medication, should see a doctor before changing their diet or taking supplements. Kidney disease, allergies and asthma medication need individual advice.

Sources

  1. Harmse & Noorbhai 2022, Sport supplement use among high school rugby players in South Africa: a scoping review (SAJSM 34)
  2. SAIDS supplements leaflet (2020)
  3. SAIDS (South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport) FAQ: supplements, strict liability
  4. Sport24 (Oct 2018): Six test positive for steroids at Craven Week
  5. Kreider et al. 2017, ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation (JISSN)

Educational information only, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease.

Cite this page: Healthnews24, “Should school athletes take supplements in South Africa?”, updated 27 October 2026, https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/supplements-for-schoolboy-sport-south-africa/. Plain-text version: /answers/supplements-for-schoolboy-sport-south-africa.md