A soft drink of the same size totals 23 grams of sugar. Research shows that excessive amounts of sugar contribute to hyperactivity, weight gain, obesity, and tooth decay. On the other side of the drink-to-excel spectrum are Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar, among others. Promising to increase energy, endurance, and mental performance, their primary market is teenage and college athletes. Red Bull, the top-selling energy drink in the United States, was introduced in the U.
Today, there are varieties of energy drinks on the worldwide market. These drinks contain substantial amounts of caffeine, guarana also known as Brazilian cocoa , taurine, ginseng , and B vitamins.
And like coffee, energy drinks are highly addictive. But once their energy plummets, they grab another powerhouse drink, feeding the cycle of caffeine addiction. Excessive amounts of caffeine can contribute to high blood pressure, heart palpitations, nausea, decreased insulin sensitivity, vomiting, convulsions, and, in extreme cases, death.
Even the military has recognized the dangers of excessive caffeine consumption and advises service members to limit caffeine to no more than milligrams every four hours, and no more than milligrams throughout the day. Simply put, experts feel that sports drinks and energy drinks are inappropriate hydration sources for children. Instead of drinking vitamin-enhanced water to accommodate nutrition gaps, it's best to provide healthy meals, beverages, and snacks for your children or doctor-recommended multivitamin supplements created for kids.
Most of these drinks guaranteeing improved performance and lasting energy are labeled as unsuitable for children, but some have slipped through the cracks. The silent, dangerous culprits in energy drinks are the high doses of sugar and caffeine. Similar to sports drinks, energy drinks can contribute to weight gain and dental problems.
And this study conducted in demonstrates that the effects of caffeine may differ between boys and girls, but the stimulant does decrease heart rate and increases blood pressure in young children. Even though your kids may be playing hard outside and sweating, they can stay hydrated with healthier alternatives like infused water combinations, watermelon juice, and coconut water.
Not only is coconut water a natural source of electrolytes , it's also refreshing and low in calories. Of course, you can't go wrong with plain old H2O. When in doubt, water is the healthiest form of hydration for adolescents and teenagers adults, too. If your son is involved in a vigorous physical activity that lasts longer than one hour, a sports drink can be beneficial. Drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde provide fluid and electrolytes sodium, potassium, chloride lost through sweat during prolonged exercise.
While they may help hydrate your son during a long soccer match, they're not necessary. Kids can get all the nutrients and hydration they need by eating healthy foods and drinking water before, during and after exercise. If you decide to let your son have a sports drink during or after prolonged exercise, limit him to an eight-ounce serving. Sports Drinks like Gatorade offers a good source of Sodium to assist in rehydration, but its high sugar content can be something to watch out for.
High Sugar content drinks can extend the effects of diarrhea ultimately prolonging sickness. Sports Drinks are even considered by pet owners as a rehydration therapy and even choosing Pedialyte to relieve dehydrated dogs from symptoms. Pedialyte is the best choice for rehydrating sick children as its especially formulated for children.
Gatorade Zero or even a watered down Gatorade could also be a substitute, but may be less effective given the lower salt contents. Our story Wriggly-ology Stories Products Blog current. Drink water on a daily basis and place reasonable limits on Sports Drinks. Sports Drinks can be used to rehydrate a sick child, but better options exist like Pedialyte.
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