Undernourished & Overlooked: The Hidden Nutrient Gaps Affecting Our Teenage Girls
Written by Grace Petersen, Associate Registered Nutritionist
Our teenage girls are in one of the most demanding and transformative stages of life - physically, emotionally, and mentally.
From hormonal shifts and growth spurts to academic pressure, social stress, and constant movement, the body and mind are working hard to keep up. But during this critical window of development, nutrient deficiencies are surprisingly common - and far too often overlooked.
Understanding the importance of testing and replenishing key nutrients can be the missing puzzle piece to reduced anxiety, better energy, clearer skin, balanced moods, and regular periods.
Why Nutrient Deficiencies Happen in Teen Girls
Young females face unique challenges that mean they are especially vulnerable to depleted nutrient stores:
Habits: Online trends, busy schedules, skipped meals, food intolerances, and convenient, grab-on-the-go snacks can all lead dietary habits that leave gaps in essential nutrients.
Sport: The teenage years are a time of rapid growth and development - and when you add regular sport or movement into the mix, energy and nutrient needs increase even more. But many teen girls simply aren’t getting enough fuel to meet those demands, which can impact everything from energy and mood, to performance and long-term health.
Period & Blood Loss: Monthly periods naturally lead to a loss of iron and other key minerals. If periods are heavy or irregular, these losses can be even greater and without enough replenishment through diet, low iron and fatigue are common.
Growth & Hormonal Changes: Puberty, hormonal shifts, and growth spurts demand extra nutrients like zinc, B12, vitamin D, folate, calcium, and magnesium. If nutrient-dense foods aren’t prioritised, deficiencies can start to show in skin health, immunity, energy, or mood.
Contraceptive Pill & Other Contraceptives: Medications like the oral contraceptive pill can deplete stores of folate, B6, B12, magnesium, coQ10 and zinc.
Emotions: Emotional stress and anxiety are increasingly common in teenage girls, especially in our fast-paced, "always-on” world. Chronic stress can increase the loss of calming nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin C, leaving the body depleted.
Digestive Issues: Digestive symptoms are common in teens and often ignored or downplayed. However, gut issues can interfere with nutrient absorption, immunity, and even mood. They require investigation, especially if symptoms are ongoing.
What Happens When Stores Run Low?
Even mild nutrient deficiencies can have far-reaching effects on how we feel, function, and develop:
Fatigue & Brain Fog: Low iron, B12, or vitamin D can lead to exhaustion, low motivation, and difficulty concentrating.
Mood Swings, Anxiety & Low Mood: Iron, magnesium, B6, protein and omega-3s are crucial for brain chemistry and emotional resilience.
Skin Issues & Hair Thinning: Zinc, vitamin A, protein and essential fatty acids help maintain clear skin and healthy hair.
Irregular or Painful Periods: Nutrients like iron, magnesium, and B vitamins help to regulate hormones.
Weak Immunity & Frequent Illness: Deficiencies in vitamin D, C, zinc, and iron can leave the immune system struggling.
Poor Recovery from Sport: Low protein, magnesium, iron, and electrolytes impact recovery and injury prevention.
The Flow-On Effects
When a young girl isn’t meeting her nutritional needs, it doesn’t just affect her physically -it impacts nearly every aspect of her daily life and future well-being:
School and learning can suffer - low nutrient status affects concentration, memory, and mental clarity.
Sport performance feels harder - reduced energy, muscle recovery, and stamina mean she may feel like she's falling behind her peers.
Self-confidence can take a hit - poor nutrition may lead to changes in body composition, acne, or fatigue, all of which can impact how she feels about herself.
Hormonal imbalances may emerge early - irregular periods, mood swings, and skin issues often signal deeper nutrient deficiencies.
Mental health may become harder to manage - low levels of key nutrients like iron, B vitamins, and omega-3s are linked to anxiety and low mood.
Growth and physical development can slow - critical windows for bone, muscle, and reproductive health may be missed.
Chronic symptoms may take hold - things like fatigue, gut issues, and hormone-related concerns can continue into adulthood if not addressed early
What Can We Test?
Full Iron Panel (Iron, Ferritin, Transferrin, Saturation)
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12 & Folate
Zinc
Magnesium
Full Thyroid Function Panel - Hormones & Antibodies
Blood Sugar Markers
Comprehensive Hormonal Panel
Inflammation
If further investigation is indicated - our practioiners will also consider hormone testing, gut microbiome testing, food intolerance testing, genetic testing, or other relevant testing.
Replenishing Stores the Right Way
Once we understand where the gaps are, we can gently and effectively restore balance using:
Targeted Dietary Adjustments: Whole, nutrient-dense meals tailored to your needs.
Lifestyle Adjustments: Sleep & stress support, appropriate movement, and hydration.
High-Quality, Practitioner Grade Supplements: Only when necessary, and always chosen carefully to match age and individual requirements.
Where To From Here?
Nutrition through the teenage years is about supporting the body in a time of immense change so that our girls can show up for school, sport, friendships, and life with more energy, clarity, and calm.
If you're a mum, encouraging your daughter to get tested can be one of the most empowering things you do for her future health. If you're a teen girl, tuning into your body and learning to nourish it is a powerful act of self-care for you now, but also your future self.
Concerned that you or your daughter might not be getting everything you need from your diet right now?
Book a Free Assessment — nutrient testing is a simple, powerful place to start.