Newswise — For many kids, back to school means back to sports. During the time off, many young athletes tend to forget the importance of drinking plenty of fluids during hot, long practices, says Dr. Luis Palacios, assistant professor of family practice and community medicine with expertise in sports medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
He recommends sport participants drink 4 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes if they have been working out for an hour or less, including warm-up sessions. For workouts longer than an hour, athletes should reach for the sports drinks to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that are lost through sweating.
"Hydration is very important because heat stress and heat stroke are such a concern among physicians caring for athletes," Dr. Palacios says. "Besides, dehydration impairs performance."
RSS