Kicker:
From the National Federation of State High School Associations
Rider:
Hydrate Before Sports, Re-Hydrate During and After Sports, Says NFHS
Healthy and successful sports participation requires that athletes hydrate before, and re-hydrate during and after, sports.
Dehydration
-
Rapid weight loss represents a loss of body water. This can easily occur during the course of a youth sports practice or game. If a child losses weight within one practice or game, it is water that they lost, not fat.
- A loss of just 1-2% of body weight (1.5 to 3 pounds for a 150 pound athlete) can negatively impact performance.
- A loss of 3% or more of body weight can increase the risk for exertional heat related illness . Athletes should therefore be weighed before and after warm weather practice sessions and contests to assess fluid losses.
- Athletes with high body fat percentages can become dehydrated faster than athletes with lower body fat percentages while working out under the same environmental conditions.
- All athletes have different sweating rates and some lose much more salt through their sweat than others.
Additionally, some lose more water than others leading to increased levels of dehydration. As children mature into teenagers and young adults sweat rates increase and more salt is conserved.
- Clothing, such as dark, bulky, or rubber protective equipment can drastically increase the chance of dehydration and heat illness .
- Poor acclimatization /fitness levels, medications and fevers can all greatly contribute to an athlete’s dehydration problems.
Environmental conditions and dehydration
- Environmental temperatures and humidity both contribute to dehydration and heat illness.
Wet bulb temperature measurements should be taken 10-15 minutes before practices or contests. The results should be used with a heat index or with the Heat Index Calculator at the Oregon School Activities Association’s web site to determine if practices or contests should be started, modified, or stopped.
- Even dry climates can have high humidity if sprinkler systems are scheduled to run before early morning practices start. This collection of water does not evaporate until environmental temperatures increase and dew points lower.
What to drink during sports
For most exercising athletes, the ideal fluid for pre-hydration and re-hydration is water. Water is quickly absorbed, well-tolerated, an excellent thirst quencher, and cost effective.
The use of a sports drink with appropriate carbohydrates (CHO) and sodium as described below may prove beneficial in some general situations and for some individuals.
Traditional sports drinks containing appropriate concentrations of CHO (6-8%) and sodium may provide additional benefit in the following general situations:
- Prolonged continuous activity of greater than 45 minutes
- Extremely intense activity with risk of heat illness
- Extremely hot and humid conditions
- Traditional sports drinks with appropriate CHO and sodium may provide additional benefit for the following individual conditions:
- Poor hydration prior to participation
- Increased sweat rate
- Poor caloric intake prior to participation
- Poor acclimatization to heat and humidity
- A 6-8% addition of CHO to water is the maximum that should be utilized. Any greater concentration will produce slow emptying from the stomach and a bloated feeling.
- The other ingredient that may be helpful is a low concentration ( 0.3 - 0.7 g/L) of sodium which may help with cramping.
- All fluids should be served cold to optimize gastric emptying.
What not to drink during sports
- Fruit juices with greater than 8 percent carbohydrate content and soda can both result in a bloated feeling and abdominal cramping.
- Carbonated beverages, beverages containing caffeine, alcoholic beverages, should not to be consumed because of the high risk of dehydration associated with excess urine production, or decreased voluntary fluid intake.
- Athletes should be aware that nutritional supplements are not limited to pills and powders; many of the new energy drinks on the market contain stimulants such as caffeine and/or ephedrine. These stimulants may increase the risk of heart or heat illness problems when exercising.
- Many of these drinks are being produced by traditional water, soft drink, and sports drink companies. As is true with other forms of supplements energy drinks or fluid supplements are not regulated by the FDA. Thus, the purity and accuracy of contents on the label are not guaranteed.
- Many of the beverages which claim to provide additional power, energy, etc., have additional ingredients that are not necessary, some that are potentially harmful, and some that are substances actually banned by such governing bodies as the NCAA and the United States Olympic Committee.
Hydration tips and fluid guidelines
In general, an athlete does not voluntarily drink sufficient water to prevent dehydration during physical activity so that by the time she becomes thirsty, she is already dehydrated. It is therefore important for athletes to drink before, during, and after practices and games.
Thus, the American College of Sports Medicine specifically recommends athletes:
- Drink 16 ounces of fluid 2 hours before exercise.
- Drink another 8 to 16 ounces 15 minutes before exercise.
- Drink 4 to 16 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.
- Drink 24 ounces of fluid after exercise for every pound lost during exercise in order to return to full hydration within 6 hours.
The volume and color of your child's urine is an excellent way of determining if he is well hydrated. Large amounts of clear urine mean your child is hydrated, small amounts of dark urine mean that he needs to drink more! For a urine color chart, click here .
The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee strongly recommends that coaches, certified athletic trainers, physicians, and other school personnel working with athletes not provide or encourage use of any beverages for hydration of these youngsters other than water and appropriate sports drinks that meet the above criteria. They should also make information available to parents and athletes on the potential harm and lack of benefit associated with energy drinks.
Source: National Federation of State High School Associations
References:
Casa DJ, Armstrong LE, Hillman SK, Montain SJ, Reiff RV, Rich BSE, Roberts WO, Stone JA. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Fluid Replacement for Athletes. Journal of Athletic Training. 35(2):212-224, 2000.
McKeag DB, Moeller JL. ACSM’s Primary Care Sports Medicine. 2nd Ed, Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.
Current as of July 28, 2016
Teaser title:
What Kids Should Drink During Sports & What Not To Drink
Teaser text:
For most exercising athletes, the ideal fluid for pre-hydration and re-hydration is water. Water is quickly absorbed, well-tolerated, an excellent thirst quencher, and cost effective. Sports drinks containing 6-8% carbohydrates and
sodium may be beneficial in some situations and for some individuals.