Nutri-Sport Nutrition Tip: Energy Drinks and Our Youth

Sports and energy drinks have become very popular with our youngsters and have become the “beverage of choice” in recent years. The coolers are jam packed with many different kinds, flavors and sizes luring them in. All of these drinks contain anywhere from 50 mg to an astonishing 505 mg of caffeine according to Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Energy drinks are marketed for more social consumption while sports drinks are glamorized by endorsing professional athletes and superstars. Children want to be like their favorite athlete or hero and think that if they drink these, someday they will be just like them. Sorry kiddos, chances are that will not happen.

Certainly there is a place for drinks that assist in performance and getting into the ‘zone’ such as pre-workouts.  However, these are for adults who have proper nutrition to fuel them and are training appropriately.  The majority of  the individuals who use energy drinks from the gas station don’t fall into this category.

Most of the young consumers as well as parents are unaware of the differences between energy drinks and sports drinks. Energy drinks are not “energy” in a can; they are filled with stimulants such as caffeine, guarana and taurine. These stimulants can be extremely dangerous to children, acting as a diuretic, which may cause dehydration in young athletes and make them more susceptible to heat illnesses. The Dept. of Pediatrics have reported cases of seizures, diabetes, cardiac abnormalities, mood and behavioral disorders in those who take certain medications. Some side effects include jitteriness, nervousness, dizziness, inability to focus, lack of concentration, stomach upset, insomnia, accelerated heart rates, anxiety, and strokes. These side effects can be related to either the toxicity of the ingredients, caloric restriction and exertion or when combined with alcohol with our older children leading to an increase of accidents and death.

On the other hand, sports drinks are hydrating and contain “natural” substances such as carbohydrates, electrolytes and flavoring. Gatorade is backed by research and may help an adult train for longer periods of time, but it is often unnecessary  to completely replace good old fashioned water for young athletes. Sports drinks may benefit our youngsters during prolonged physical activity when given in age and size appropriate quantities. Adding sports drinks to an already sugar filled diet can lead to weight gain and obesity in our children as well. We as parents, need to educate ourselves to these risks and encourage an appropriate beverage for our kiddos to consume during exercise, consistent with age-appropriate activities, durations and intensities being performed. So the next time your child feels it necessary to exhibit poor behavior by the cooler at the gas station because he/she thinks they need one of these drinks without being associated with a physical activity, gently take them by the hand and walk them down a little farther to pick out a bottle of water!! Be their parent and not their friend…just saying.

-Judy Mensen

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