Pre-Game Hydration For Youth Athletes

Pre-exercise hydration can be a confusing topic for youth sports parents and coaches.

Most people know that it is important, but the specifics of ‘why’ can seem murky. “How much water should my athletes be drinking before practices and games?,” “How can an athlete know if they are hydrated?,” and “Do they need to be drinking anything more than ‘just’ water beforehand?,” are all common questions that may seem surprisingly difficult to get straight answers on.

Here, registered dietitian and TrueSport Expert, Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD, explains what athletes, coaches, and caregivers need to know about pre-game and pre-training hydration for youth athletes.

How much water should athletes drink before exercise?

It is recommended that young athletes drink at least 10-16 ounces of water two hours before exercising, and then another 8-16 ounces about 15-30 minutes before their game or practice.

Ideally these recommendations are acting to ‘top off’ hydration that has been supported by drinking enough fluids throughout the day leading up to the activity. If an athlete does not hydrate in the hours leading up to training or competition, it will be very difficult to drink enough fluids to make up for the deficit. Drinking large amounts of fluid at once is additionally not recommended, as it can cause gastrointestinal upset and the need for bathroom breaks that interrupt play.

What about drinking sports drinks or other hydration beverages beforehand?

Sports drinks contain moderate carbohydrates and low to moderate amounts of electrolytes, especially sodium. There are many other beverages available that are marketed for hydration as well. Regardless of the claims different products may make, the most important factor for athletes is the fluid (water) that these drinks contain. A beverage like a sports drink with a moderate amount of carbs can also provide an energy boost before activity. Electrolytes, and sodium in particular, may be helpful to support performance, decrease risk of muscle cramps, and increase the quantity of fluids consumed, especially in hot playing conditions.

Sports drinks and other hydration beverages are usually not necessary. If those drinks are more likely than water to be consumed due to enjoyable flavor, they may be beneficial for some athletes to support adequate fluid intake. Sports drinks may also be helpful if an athlete can’t have a pre-activity snack, if they feel they need an energy boost before play begins, and to support performance during play in hot environmental conditions. If your athlete has never had a sports drink but insists on trying them, don’t drink one for the first time on competition day. Instead, have them try different fluids and amounts before and during practices until they discover a balance that works best for them.

What about pre-game energy drinks?

In short, skip the pre-game energy drink. Typically, energy drinks contain moderate to high amounts of sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants. Sports drinks do contain some sugar but usually do not contain caffeine.

Caffeine is a stimulant that raises your heart rate even when you aren’t exercising. Energy drinks may also contain other stimulants like taurine and guarana, which can boost attention and create the feeling of having more energy. But these are not considered safe for young athletes and the doses of caffeine contained in energy drinks can be dangerous for them. Despite the marketing, energy drinks are not recommended for young athletes. Sadly, these drinks have been cited in a large number of instances of young athletes suffering from cardiac arrest, and even death.

If you can’t tell if a specific beverage is a sports drink or an energy drink, check the label: legitimate sports drinks will always carry a Nutrition Facts label. However, due to lax labeling policies from the FDA, energy drinks could carry either a Supplement Facts label or a Nutrition Facts label, so you’ll need to inspect further. If the item contains caffeine (especially in large amounts) and uses marketing buzzwords like “pump,” “buzz,” and “wired,” then it’s probably an energy drink.

What happens when a young athlete (or anyone) becomes dehydrated?

Sweating is the main mechanism the body uses to cool down as heat is generated from working muscles and starts to raise body temperature. As more time passes during activity, sweating leads to more and more fluid losses from the body. If the athlete did not hydrate properly beforehand, and/or this fluid is not replaced regularly during practice or competition, they can become dehydrated.

A dehydrated athlete has a decreased volume of blood circulating through the body, and consequently can begin to experience the following:

• The amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat decreases
• Exercising muscles do not receive enough oxygen
• Exhaustion sets in earlier and the athlete’s performance suffers
• Less blood is available to reach the skin and decrease in temperature from the evaporative cooling effect of sweating
• Risk of overheating and heat-related injury greatly increases
• By-products of exercise are not flushed out of the body as regularly as they should be
• Risk of muscle cramping increases

Research has shown that losing as little as 1-2% of total body weight can negatively affect athletic performance. For example, if a 150-pound athlete loses 3 pounds (or a 100-pound athlete loses 2 pounds) during training or competition, their ability to perform both physically and mentally is diminished. Proper fluid replenishment is key to not only preventing dehydration and reducing the risk of heat-related injury, but to support continued performance.