// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
I'm 12 and I want to try protein powder - should I?
Louis, Otis and Ben all have differing opinions on whether teens should use protein powder
Twelve-year-old Ben is desperate to try protein powder but there's one hurdle: me, his mum.
"I've asked about 20 times and you just keep saying no!", he says, claiming it would make him "fitter and bigger" and that his male friends use it.
In recent years, there's been an explosion of products marketed as "high protein", including milk, yoghurt, breads, cereals, bars and powders.
Social media is flooded with adverts for various supplements, including protein powder.
As a health journalist, I'm sceptical and think at Ben's age he must be getting enough protein through his diet.
So, do experts think it's safe for pre-teens and teenagers or is a big, juicy steak just as good?
In recent years, there has been an explosion of products marketed as "high protein"...
... however, protein is found in lots of everyday foods, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, bread, grains and pulses
My sport-obsessed son, who already eats a healthy balanced diet, asks me about protein powder on a regular basis.