Health

Adolescent Runner Health: What You Need to Know

Running is an incredible way to build strength, endurance, and confidence — but staying healthy off the track is just as important as the work you do during training. Here's what every young runner should know about health, recovery, and smart choices to keep improving safely.

Nutrition

Your body needs fuel to perform. Prioritize:

• Carbohydrates for energy

• Proteins for muscle repair

• Healthy fats for long-term energy and hormone balance

• Vitamins and minerals through fruits and vegetables

Avoid extreme dieting or skipping meals. Eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day keeps you strong and resilient.

Sleep

Sleep is where the magic happens: your body repairs itself and grows stronger.

• Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep each night.

• Naps can be helpful if your schedule is packed.

• Poor sleep can lead to injuries, illness, and plateaued performance.

Hydration

Staying hydrated is critical — especially when running in hot or humid conditions.

• Drink water throughout the day, not just right before practice.

• Electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) may be needed after long runs or sweaty workouts.

• Clear or light yellow urine is a good sign you're hydrated.

Injury Management: See a Physical Therapist Early

If you feel pain that doesn't go away after a day or two, don't ignore it.

• Physical therapists can diagnose minor issues before they become major ones.

• Early intervention often means faster recovery and fewer missed races.

Listen to your body. Soreness is normal. Persistent pain is not.

Special Focus: Accutane Impact on Runners

Acne is a common struggle for teens, but treatment decisions matter — especially for athletes. Accutane (Isotretinoin) is a powerful acne medication, but it can cause serious side-effects for runners, including muscle and joint pain, increased risk of tendon injuries, fatigue, sun sensitivity, and skin fragility and chafing. These issues can interfere with training, racing, and overall recovery.

Alternative: Laser Therapy for Acne

Fortunately, there's another option that doesn't carry the same risks for athletes.

Laser treatments offer targeted clearing of acne bacteria and inflammation, no systemic side-effects, no interference with joint health, muscle recovery, or sun exposure, and fast, outpatient sessions with minimal downtime.

Many young athletes are now choosing laser therapy over Accutane to stay healthy and maintain peak performance while treating acne effectively. We recently spoke with Peter, a competitive runner who share his experience with Accutane, and Dr. Blake from Blake Family Medicine, who suggests laser options for active teens.

Have More Questions?

Ask our AI Coach Chat for quick, science-backed answers to your health and training questions! Whether you need advice about fueling, sleep, injury recovery, or acne treatments, your virtual coach is ready to help.

Stay strong, train smart, and run your best!