The choice between water and sports drink

THE CHOICE should be easy if you take the advice of experts at the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Children and young teens should especially be wary of consuming sports drinks which contain salt and sugar.

“Sports drinks can replenish some of what you lost during exercise, but you really need to be exercising for more than 45 minutes to an hour before you would consider that,” says Dr Matthew Silvis, director of primary care sports medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

 “Kids and adolescents really should not be using these drinks,” says Dr Katie Gloyer, a primary care sports medicine physician at Penn State Medical Group in State College. “Water is the best method of hydration.”

Energy drinks can also be dangerous for children and adolescents. The beverages, which are not regulated, can contain several servings of harmful products in one container and easily exceed the amount of caffeine and other stimulants that are considered to be safe.

That can elevate blood pressure and cause cardiac problems such as palpitations and arrhythmias, headaches, an upset stomach and a general jittery or nervous feeling.

Dr Silvis adds the focus really should be on water and making sure kids are properly hydrated during exercise. “If they are playing 30- or 45-minute halves, they should have a water break and maybe add fresh orange slices or a granola bar to add a bit of sugar and/or protein at an appropriate level,” he suggested.

For post-workout recovery, chocolate milk can be better than recovery drinks now on the market. “Chocolate milk has the perfect combination of fat, proteins and carbohydrates that you want to get back into your system,” says Dr Silvis.