A Guide to Staying Hydrated During Youth Sports

Our bodies are made of 50–70% water, and we depend on water to survive. Staying hydrated is important all of the time, but dehydration prevention is especially important for young people who play sports or are otherwise active, as they're more vulnerable. Not only is proper hydration important for a child's health, but dehydration can also hurt performance on the field or the court.

Here are some tips for staying adequately hydrated using affordable, practical products that can be found at Rite Aid.

The Importance of Staying Hydrated

Drinking water may seem to be a simple task, but it's actually a crucial part of staying healthy as an athlete, regardless of age. Being properly hydrated can also have a significant impact on virtually every aspect of sports performance, from endurance and muscle function to improved blood circulation, and decreasing the risk of injury.

According to Children's Health, properly hydrated muscles function better than dehydrated muscles, which can impact performance during sports. They also note that staying hydrated can help maintain blood pressure while exercising so your heart doesn't have to work harder to maintain normal blood pressure. Staying hydrated can also help prevent exhaustion on or off the court, and it can improve blood flow and circulation. This improved blood flow and circulation can, in turn, allow oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to muscles quicker and more efficiently.

Dehydration doesn't just negatively impact sports performance; it negatively impacts bodily health overall. So, parents should be mindful of their child's hydration both on and off the field. According to the Cleveland Clinic, hydration helps regulate body temperature, aids in digestion and helps your joints stay lubricated and your bones cushioned. Further, dehydration can also cause your heart rate to jump or your blood pressure to plummet to dangerously low levels.

Warning signs of dehydration in kids include:

·    Dry tongue and lips

·    No tears when crying

·    Sunken eyes

·    Dry and wrinkled skin

·    Deep, rapid breathing

·    Cool, blotchy hands and feet

Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list — and signs of dehydration in adults can and do differ.

Recommended Fluid Intake

The amount of fluid required varies depending on activity, intensity and environmental conditions such as heat and humidity. For instance, an early evening baseball game on a cool night where there aren't many hits means that players probably aren't running around too much and when they are, the cool temperatures prevent them from overheating too much.

On the other hand, an intense soccer game played at high noon on a hot summer day could have kids constantly running back and forth, quickly exhausting themselves and sweating more due to the strong sun and high temperatures. The body size of the athlete and their training status can also determine their fluid needs. Highly trained athletes require a greater amount of water as they tend to sweat more. The amount of sweat produced also varies from athlete to athlete, so kids that tend to sweat more ("heavy sweaters") will also need to hydrate more.

Children's Health recommends that young athletes drink ½ to 1 oz of water per pound of body weight daily. To maintain peak performance during exercise, they advise limiting water weight loss to no more than 2% of body weight. In other words, a 100-pound athlete should drink 50–100 oz of water (or 6.25–12.5 cups) and lose no more than two pounds of water during a workout.

When to Drink Fluids

While it's important to drink water continuously during a workout, it's just as important that athletes consume plenty of water in the hours leading up to activity. In addition to drinking enough fluids before a workout, practice or big game, Children's Health recommends that young athletes also take four to six big gulps of water every 15 to 20 minutes while exercising and drink 24 oz of water (or 3 cups) for every pound of water weight lost during the workout.

While many athletes and parents appreciate these recommended fluid intake guidelines, the Mayo Clinic says that most physicians actually recommend that we "drink to thirst" over following guidelines. In other words, they suggest that we listen to our bodies for clues about water consumption because it can be dangerous to drink too little (or too much!) water while exercising vigorously.

For instance, if you follow the above recommendations of drinking water before, during and after exercising, but you (or your child) still don't feel your best, you may not be drinking enough fluids, or you may be drinking way too much. Or, you may be drinking enough fluids, but your body simply isn't retaining the water; it's sweating it right out. This is where hydrating snacks and beverages can be helpful (more on this later).

Should Kids Drink Sports Drinks?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents do not consume energy drinks or sports drinks. Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, says that some kids who are training intensively or doing endurance sports may require sports drinks, but she says that most young athletes should just be given water and snacks.

Many sports drinks contain a lot of caffeine, which can disrupt a child's (or adult's) ability to sleep, or can cause headaches, jitteriness or an inability to concentrate. Many also contain more sugar than what is necessary, a lot of artificial sweeteners and/or artificial colors and flavors. Dr. Wen suggests that if children use sports drinks, they should avoid those with high caffeine content and opt for drinks "that just contain electrolytes, without added sugar, unless the carbohydrate content is specifically needed."

A good way to get the benefits of electrolytes without the downsides of sports drinks is by avoiding bottled sports drinks and, instead, opting for electrolyte powders that can be added to water.

Hydrating Snacks and Drinks

In addition to drinking water, consuming hydrating snacks during sports activities can also help replenish essential minerals lost through sweat. Water-rich foods like watermelon and other fruits can help with hydration, whereas healthy snacks like nuts and trail mix can provide protein and energy while also replenishing salts lost through sweat. If you want to treat your children to "junk food" that's a bit healthier, there are also many natural snack options that appease picky eaters with satisfying crunch, fun flavors and tasty plant protein. Here are some suggestions:

Healthy Snacks

·    Fruit Cups

·    Nuts

·    Trail Mix

·    Chickpea Snacks

·    Aged White Cheddar Rice and Corn Puffs

·    White Cheddar Popcorn

·    Tomato Basil Hummus Chips

Hydrating Drink Mixes

·    Organic Electrolyte Solution

·    Hydration Multiplier Drink Mix

·    Rainbow Electrolyte Drink Mix

Implementing this guide's recommendations should help ensure your youth athletes stay adequately hydrated and perform at their best on the field or court. And that's a win-win.