Sports and Energy Drinks 4-1-1

All parents are overloaded by the Internet and the ever-accurate sources called moms groups. But media distracts from first-rate parental judgment. You rush through a pediatrician appointment for two earaches and strep throat, so there’s no time for education about the latest report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), reporting children should NOT have energy drinks EVER, and sports drinks should be consumed only in moderation!

Sports Drinks

(Gatorade, Propel, POWERADE, etc…) Electrolyte replacement drinks are for adult athletes doing extreme training in the heat; so wouldn’t you assume this is true for your child’s playing sports in the same heat? Sometimes.

Dr. Kristen Stuppy, a pediatrician with Pediatric Partners in Overland Park, says that an occasional sports drink is fine, but it’s not to replace electrolytes. It’s simply as a treat. “Most school-aged kids don’t get to the level of training that requires a ‘sports drink,’” she says. “In our area, there are heat block outs, where kids cannot practice or play games. School-aged kids do not train at the level of a college athlete. Sports drinks have a lot of sugar, which is in excess of what kids need. Good nutrition all day and water before/during/after play is the best for the kids.”

Energy Drinks

(Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, etc…) These drinks are heavily caffeinated, and some “contain more than 500 mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to the caffeine found in 14 cans of caffeinated soda,” reports Pediatrics journal.

Manufacturers can add sugar and the herbal stimulants guarana and taurine to their products, the effects of which on children are difficult to control. Dr. Stuppy’s take on these drinks: “First, caffeine is addictive. No one wants their child addicted to any substance that is not beneficial to overall health and has dangerous consequences.”

“Caffeine can elevate heart rate and blood pressure, cause headaches, nervousness and dizziness. Kids who drink caffeine sleep less - which is important for growth, body repair, behavior, concentration, and learning,” she says

Parent Involvement

In addition, some kids are drinking energy drinks instead of sports drinks, thinking they are replacing their electrolytes. Because the energy drinks contain caffeine, which is a diuretic, they are doing more damage by pulling extra fluid out of their already fluid-hungry bodies. Final word: Parents, educate yourselves on these products and don’t assume that because they are marketed toward children they are safe for them.

Stacey Hatton is an Overland Park mom of two and pediatric nurse.