WHEN THEY CAN HELP AND HARM.
♪
DR. FIRST: PARENTS HAVE BEEN
THURSDAY TO ASK ME ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT IT IS GOOD FOR THEIR
CHILDREN AND TEENS TO BE
DRINKING THOSE HIGH-ENERGY
DRINKS.
SPORTS DRINKS MAY BE BENEFICIAL
TO KIDS WHO PARTICIPATE IN
PROLONGED, VIGOROUS PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY LASTING
LONGER THAN AN HOUR, SUCH AS
LONG-DISTANCE RUNNING OR HIKING,
OR HIGH-INTENSITY SPORTS LIKE
SOCCER OR BASKETBALL.
THESE DRINKS CONTAIN
CARBOHYDRATES AND SUGARS AND
MINERALS WHICH CAN BE AN
IMMEDIATE SOURCE OF ENERGY WHEN
THE BODY PARTS STORES ARE
BECOMING DEPLETED.
THESE DRINKS CONTAIN CALORIES,
SO THEY SHOULD ONLY BE DRANK
DURING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND
NOT AT MEALS.
THEY ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR THE
CASUAL ATHLETE.
TURN TO WATER INSTEAD.
HIGH ENERGY DRINKS HAVE GROWN IN
POPULARITY, BUT THEY ARE FULL OF
SUGAR AND CAFFEINE, SOMETIMES AS
MUCH AS THE EQUIVALENT OF A
TRUNKING 1-3 CUPS OF COFFEE,
LEADING TO DIFFICULTY SLEEPING,
HEADACHES, AND FREQUENT
URINATION, AND CAN LEAD TO THE
POTENTIAL FOR CAVITIES AND
WEIGHT GAIN.
LARGE AMOUNTS OF CAFFEINE CAN
LEAD TO HEART RATE INCREASES,
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASES, AND AN
INCREASED RISK OF SEIZURES.
CAFFEINE CAN MAKE SOMEONE
URINATE MORE AND BECOME
DEHYDRATED.
I RECOMMEND THAT SPORTS DRINKS
SHOULD BE USED ONLY DURING
ACTIVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND
ENERGY DRINKS SHOULD BE AVOIDED
ENTIRELY FOR TEENAGERS.
AT MOST, TEENAGERS SHOULD
CONSUME IN NO MORE THAN ONE
HIGH-ENERGY DRINK PER DAY, AND
IT SHOULD AVOID THEM AT TONIGHT.
THE BEST THING A TEENAGER CAN DO
IS GET ENOUGH SLEEP, EAT A
WELL-BALANCED DIET, AND STAY
HYDRATED WITH WATER.
HOPEFULLY TIPS LIKE THIS WILL
ENERGIZE YOU TO TALK WITH YOUR
OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS ABOUT
THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF HIGH
ENERGY DRINKS THE NEXT TIME THEY
REQUEST ONE.
