Water is a better bet than sports drinks for young athletes, sports medicine specialists say.
Most youngsters don’t exert themselves at an intensity or duration that requires the extra sugar and salt contained in sports drinks, said Dr. Matthew Silvis. He is director of primary care sports medicine at Penn State Health Medical Center.
“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,” Silvis said. “Many of our kids are not doing enough to warrant it,” he added in a university news release.
Also, giving children sports drinks with extra sugar puts them at risk for weight gain and tooth decay, Silvis and his colleagues noted.
Water Over Sports Drinks
Dr. Katie Gloyer is a primary care sports medicine physician at Penn State Medical Group, in State College. She agreed that “kids and adolescents really should not be using these drinks. Water is the best method of hydration.” Energy drinks that contain caffeine or other stimulants are also ill-advised for children, the physicians said. These beverages can boost blood pressure, cause heart palpitations and heart rhythm disorders, headaches and upset stomach.
Some kids may also feel jittery or nervous after downing an energy drink, the experts added. Coaches and parents should provide water to make sure children are properly hydrated during exercise, the doctors said.
“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,” Silvis said.
After exercise, whole or low-fat chocolate milk works just as well — if not better — than recovery drinks. “Chocolate milk has the perfect combination of fat, proteins and carbohydrates that you want to get back into your system,” Silvis added.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Whole Body Wellness
Maintaining overall health and wellness through a balanced nutrition, regular physical activity and proper sleep is essential for your whole body�s well-being. While these are some of the most important contributing factors for staying healthy, seeking care and preventing injuries or the development of conditions through natural alternatives can also guarantee overall health and wellness. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective treatment option utilized by many individuals to ensure whole body wellness.
Any fitness enthusiast will tell you that what you eat and drink before, during and after a workout plays a key role in how your body performs, recovers and prepares for the next bout of exercise. And whether you�re hitting it hard in the gym, making an effort to add miles to your weekly run, or taking your bike on a long-distance tour, paying attention to when you feed and hydrate your body can be just as important as the workout itself.
The Importance of Post-Workout Nutrition
Post-workout nutrition has three specific purposes: replenish glycogen, decrease protein breakdown and increase protein synthesis. If done correctly, a good post-workout nutrition protocol can help improve recovery, lead to less muscle soreness, increase the body�s ability to build muscle and improve immune function.
If you�ve been around the fitness industry for any length to time, you�re bound to have heard people talking about the �window of opportunity.� What they are referring to is a �window� of time, when your muscles are primed and ready to accept nutrients that stimulate muscle repair, muscle growth, and muscle strength. Sounds serious, right? Well, it really does matter, especially if you want to recover and be ready for your next bout of exercise.
According to Cynthia Sass, RD, CSSD, sports nutritionist and author of Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches With Pulses-The New Superfood, �Exercise puts stress on your muscles, joints, and bones, and your body uses up nutrients during workouts; so post-workout foods help to put back what you�ve lost, and provide the raw materials needed for repair and healing,� she says. �In fact, it�s the recovery from exercise that really allows you to see results in terms of building strength, endurance, and lean muscle tissue,� adds Sass.
Not recovering properly can leave you weaker as you go into your next workout and up your risk of injury. The minute you end your workout, this window opens. And while the research is varied, some experts say it�s the first 30 minutes that are the most critical, while others claim this window can last up to two hours post-workout. It is during this time that feeding your body the proper nutrients, will help it recover and grow.
What is Post-Workout Nutrition?
Experts recommend that as soon as possible post workout, get carbs and protein into your body. �Ideally, you want to have a recovery meal, snack, or beverage within one hour of the end of the workout,� says Sass. �That�s when your body is primed to use the raw materials from food for repair and healing,� she adds.
Focus on quality carbohydrates to refuel your glycogen stores in preparation for your next workout while taking in protein to help repair and rebuild your muscles. As far as what to eat based on the activity performed, Sass says that different nutrients are not needed for different workouts, rather, different amounts (depending on the length and intensity of the workout) is what matters. �Longer, more intense workouts put more wear and tear on the body, so it makes sense that larger portions are needed to support recovery compared to shorter, less intense training,� she explains.
Sass also says how much you eat after a workout depends on a lot of factors such as: gender, age, height, the length, and intensity of the workout. �But in general, it�s important for more intense workouts to include vegetables, lean protein, good fat, healthy carbs, and natural seasonings, like fresh or dried herbs and spices,� she explains.
And while the options for post-workout meals is endless, Sass has a few favorites she recommends to clients. For people who need a �meal on the go,� a smoothie made with kale, pea protein powder, avocado, fruit, and fresh ginger root, is a great option. And if you�re in the mood for something warm, Sass loves making a stir-fry made with a variety of veggies, organic chicken, sliced almonds, citrus fruit, black rice, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper. But if cold and crisp is what you�re craving, you might want to try a garden salad topped with salmon, avocado, extra virgin olive-oil based vinaigrette made with balsamic and herbs, and white beans, lentils, or chickpeas.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Chiropractic and Athletic Performance
Chiropractic care is a popular, alternative treatment option which focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of injuries and/or conditions associated to the musculoskeletal and nervous system, primarily the spine. Many athletes, and civilians alike, seek chiropractic care to restore their natural health and wellness, however, chiropractic has been demonstrated to benefit athletes by increasing their athletic performance.
Please fill out the form below to request more information or schedule your first session with one of our trainers.
If you’d like to reach us directly, please call one of our two locations, Central El Paso (915.203.8122) or West El Paso (915.740.2439), or email us at [email protected]
As a member of PUSH, you will have access to both locations. Each location is operated by different management, so the services offered at the Central and West location vary. The information on this website describes our Central El Paso location.
As a PUSH as Rx member, you have access to WODs (workouts of the day) every hour on the hour at our gym. Members have access to showers, making it very convenient for members to join a WOD before work, during lunch, or in between meetings. Our trainers are always available to you to help you improve your technique and help you reach your optimal fitness. Feel free to join the hourly WOD!
For PUSH members, we also offer childcare during certain hours so you can still train even if you have kids! Please call us for more information. We encourage PUSH families to become fit and healthy together, so we always make sure our facility is kid-friendly and safe.
As a PUSH as Rx member, you also have access to chiropractic services with Dr. Jimenez, which can support your fitness goals by ensuring you are pushing your limits safely! Enjoy a first free assessment as a PUSH as Rx member�just stop in any time!
We’ll periodically offer nutrition, flexibility and technique classes to our members at a discounted rate–follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for regular updates!
We also offer personal training options at a discounted rate for our PUSH as Rx members�stop in any time to learn more about personal training! We�ll help you move at your own pace to reach your fitness goals.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
