Q: My 13 year old diabetic son is going to be going to a gym this summer to try and get into better shape and was asking me earlier today about protein shake mixes. My question is two-fold. Does a young teenager really need protein shakes or are those just extra calories that won’t do him any good, and if he can benefit from drinking them do I need to be concerned about the carb count with him being diabetic? If the answer to the former question is yes, do you know of any low-carb protein shakes he can use?

–Mike

A: Protein shakes are a good supplement to any training session. When one exercises, the muscle tissue breaks down. As one rests post-exercise, the muscle fibers re-grow, and it is here where protein intake is essential. The amino acids in protein form the building blocks of our bodies, therefore getting complete proteins into our bloodstream to facilitate muscle recovery is essential. There is only a 30-60 minute window post-exercise where our body is most receptive to protein synthesis. If we were to eat something solid – say a piece of chicken – we’d miss that window, as our body took the time to digest it. However a protein shake is “pre-digested” so its nutrients go directly into our bloodstream, aiding our recovery during that window.

Rob is not your stereotypical personal trainer. Having grown up when 8-bit systems were new and his dad’s 300 baud modem was bleeding edge, he considers himself a Geek-of-All-Trades(-Except-Math).  Never really into playing competitive sports, he attended an artsy-fartsy high school where he still managed to earn more athletic credits than most of the jocks by taking numerous dance classes and joining the school’s ultimate frisbee team.

Since then, he’s held various professional titles such as glassblower, internet tech support monkey, chef, and Weight Watchers group leader.  He also spent a few years working for various Renaissance faires as a leatherworker, stage combatant, and Dirty Gamer. It was while working the faires that he met his wife and also picked up his panchant for wearing UtiliKilts whenever possible.