What kind of Consumer are you?
You find them everywhere. So-called energy drinks with names like Red Bull, Piranha, Monster, and Rock Star are on the shelves of your local grocery store, in vending machines at the gym and at the convenience store in the gas station down the street. Frequently displayed next to the Gatorade and fruit juices, energy drinks are heavily marketed to young adults and athletes.
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Why kids don't need sports drinks
In some "healthy" school vending machines across the country, soda is out. But rehydrating, sugar-laden sports drinks are still in.
Often promoted by popular athletes as essential thirst quenchers, sports beverages can be beneficial if they're consumed during or after an intense workout that lasts an hour or more, said Russell Pate, professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina.
Some research has shown that children will take in more fluids if offered a sports drink rather than water alone.
In school districts such as the Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, Ky., meanwhile, sports drinks -- along with water and 100 percent juice -- are considered "healthy beverages" in vending machines if they contain less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.
But sports beverages are little more than sugar water with electrolytes, something most children don't need, said registered dietitian Lilian Cheung, a lecturer in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Kids get plenty of electrolytes in food. And even after vigorous exercise, water is as good as sports drinks for replenishing fluids while keeping electrolytes balanced, according to a 2006 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Children's health experts say sports drinks are not just contributing to obesity; they're also hard on the teeth. Research has shown they can do more damage to enamel than carbonated cola products, especially if sipped over long periods of time.
And ultimately, the drinks are unnecessary, said Harvard sociologist Steven Gortmaker, a healthful-eating researcher who has written several studies looking at children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. "Unless they're running marathons, which we do not recommend for kids, water is the best choice for quenching their thirst," Gortmaker said.
If your child won't drink water or has an aversion to school drinking fountains, don't fret. Studies show that when fluid is low, the body stimulates the thirst centers in the brain, and if water is available, kids will drink. And unless a child exercises for more than two hours, no extra calories are needed, said Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, a child and adolescent weight-management expert.
Though it varies by brand, a 20-ounce bottle of a sports drink contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar and 130 calories, more than you may burn during a workout. Drinking just one bottle every day for a year could add 13 pounds, said Dolgoff.
Hydration important while exercising
Dehydration is a common problem among athletes and can potentially be a life-threatening situation. With the fall school sports seasons once again underway, it is important to understand how to stay adequately hydrated to prevent dehydration and to optimize performance levels.
Dehydration is critical when exercising in the heat, but dehydration can occur in any type of exercise setting, including exercising in cool weather or in water. Developing a hydration plan or protocol is critical for maintaining an athlete's health as well as providing the opportunity for optimal performance. This must also include a rehydration strategy that takes into account the individual athlete, the sport dynamic (are there rest breaks and are fluids provided at break?), environmental factors, acclimatization state, exercise duration, exercise intensity and individual preference. Just as a coach develops a game plan or strategy for playing the game, the athlete must develop a strategy for staying hydrated.
Dehydration during exercise occurs when an athlete loses more fluid than he or she takes in. An athlete will lose water through sweat, urine and respiration. The simplest method in checking hydration status is to compare urine color. Urine should be clear to light yellow in color when fully hydrated. A second method in determining hydration status is monitoring pre- and post-exercise weights. Comparing these weights gives a fairly accurate measurement of the amount of fluid lost during exercise. A rule of thumb is "a pint and a half a pound" which refers to the need to consume one and a half pints (24 ounces) of fluid for each pound lost during exercise.
Water should be readily available to athletes at all times during practice and game situations. This may mean planning ahead for the athlete or the parents. If water is not provided during practices, the athlete should always carry a thermos or cooler of water sufficient for the length of the event.
It is also important to check to be sure that the athlete is drinking fluids. Replacement by thirst alone is inadequate. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Sports drinks are recommended for exercise lasting longer than one hour. When drinking sports drinks, the carbohydrate (CHO) concentration should range between 4 percent and 8 percent. Anything over 8 percent actually disrupts stomach-emptying and causes gastric discomfort.
Early recognition of dehydration decreases the occurrence and severity of heat illness. Basic signs of dehydration are thirst, irritability and general discomfort, followed by headache, weakness, dizziness, cramps, chills, vomiting, nausea, and decreased performance.
If you follow the hydration guidelines listed below, you will decrease your chances of becoming dehydrated and risking the effects of heat illness. The following guidelines are from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) position statement and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position statement.
Hydration BEFORE activity:
Hydration DURING activity:
Hydration AFTER activity:
For questions about sports hydration issues, call Kris or Jodi at Point Sports Medicine Center at 715-346-5190.
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