Athletic Nutrition Checklist: Hydration… Protein… Electrolytes…

Hydration and proper nutrition is vital to helping athletes perform to the best of their ability. School Health has the products you need to stock athlete fueling stations WITHOUT fighting the big box stores.

Each day our athletes are called on to complete feats of strength, stamina, and endurance. Through training, athletes become stronger and more physically tuned. But for peak performance, it is important to include nutrition and hydration as part of our basic training regimen.

In 2014 the NCAA Division I deregulated restrictions on sports nutrition, allowing student athletes unlimited access to meals and snacks related to sports participation. With the sudden unfettered ability to fuel athletes, many athletic departments have been scrambling to create nutrition programs for the athletes they serve. As they try to keep supplement supplies stocked, many athletic trainers have resorted to big-box store shopping, which means last minute trips and costly purchasing.

School Health has worked to gather the best supplements to fuel athletic teams. And, with a School Health Supply List, keeping nutrition items stocked is easier than ever. With supply lists, athletes and athletic trainers can build customized lists of their favorite products, and even select automatic delivery!

Here is a quick reference to help athletes and athletic trainers know which products to use and when.

• Before and during a workout an athlete’s body requires high amounts of carbohydrates to saturate muscles with glycogen that fuel performance and provide endurance. Supplements like the Clif Shot Bloks Electrolyte Chews are a great way to get these carbohydrates in to your system.
• After a workout, protein helps facilitate repair and recovery of fatigued tissues. It’s easy to get this protein on-the-go with the LUNA Protein Bars.

And at all times athletes must maintain proper hydration to ensure that they stay strong and safe. Athletes can carry The Right Stuff concentrated drink additive – an easy way to add electrolyte rich hydration to your favorite water bottle!

Proper nutrition is also an integral part of building muscle mass, losing weight, and maintaining energy levels throughout the year, even when athletes are not training. Try CLIF Bar nutrition bars for a delicious and convenient way to maintain nutrition.

Here are some key tips to remember when integrating nutrition and hydration products into a daily training schedule:

•  Pre-event meals should take place 2-4 hours before an event, and then “topped off” with a high carbohydrate product like the Gatorade Prime sports drink 30-60 minutes before the event.
• During exercise, athletes should consume 16-24 oz of water or sports drink per hour. To stay hydrated, a good rule of thumb is for athletes to consume at least half of their body weight in fluid ounces (preferably water) per day. The School Health Horizontal Power System is an ideal solution to provide side-by-side water and sports drink hydration.
•  During high performance or in warmer temperatures when sweat rates are heavy, athletes can consume a high sodium snack or sports drink to stay hydrated.
•  Research has shown that recovery shakes and snacks are most effective within 30-60 minutes of a workout. We recommend products like the Gatorade Protein Recovery Shakes.
• Recovery products should have a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrates and protein. We recommend the First String Blast Protein Powder as a great way to gain this ratio.

Athletes who have long training sessions and burn extreme amounts of energy can see increased performance by using these recommended supplements.

School Health – Sports Medicine offers many other options to stock your nutrition and hydration station. Contact us today to tailor a delivery that fuels your team. 

The Danger of Giving Energy Drinks to Young Athletes

In June 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics took the position that there is a difference between “sports drinks” and “energy drinks”. This distinction is important to adolescents and is also a microcosm of the American way of life.

As a nation we often seek the most efficient, if not the easiest, way to get a job done. Unfortunately, when it comes to athletic activities, there is no substitute for good old-fashion hard work and persistence.

What Makes Energy Drinks so Dangerous?

Many adults and adolescents will seek that little additional edge in their performance by using supplements. Energy drinks often contain “non-nutritive stimulants” such as caffeine and can run the gamut from 160 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce serving to 300 mg. The exact content and purity of energy drinks cannot be guaranteed since there is no regulatory control over these “supplements” and there may be harmful interaction with prescriptions to control ADHD.

Cola drinks and coffee are also sources of caffeine but possibly due to their long history and wide acceptance by the American public they do not often enter into the “energy drink” conversation. In the United States, cola drinks are controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are limited to 71 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce serving while 8-ounces of generic coffee has 95-200 mg per serving.

The Link Between Energy Drinks and Heart/Liver Problems

The National Federation of State High School Associations’ position statement on energy drinks states “energy drinks are not appropriate for rehydrating athletes during physical activity and should not be used for that purpose.” The consumption of energy drinks in teens has been linked with heart arrhythmias and liver problems. Last year the Virginia High School League became the first state high school federation to impose a ban on such drinks at high school competitions and practices.

Adolescents should not be viewed as miniature adults. Their biological systems are still developing and may react to outside influences differently than adults.

Combining Energy Drinks with Alcohol

The combination of energy drinks with alcohol can be dangerous for teens. According to the government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, emergency room visits associated with energy drinks use increased nationally more than ten-fold from 2005 to 2009. Forty-four percent involved combination with alcohol, pharmaceuticals or illicit drugs.

What Makes Sports Drinks Different?

Sports drinks were developed to focus on fluid, carbohydrate and electrolyte replenishment to aid in athletic performance and recovery - typically with a 6-8% carbohydrate concentration.

The Best "Supplement" For Young Athletes

Young athletes should practice and compete without artificial supplements. The best “supplement” for teens is still hard work, eat a well-balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids and get adequate amounts of rest.

Find Safe Sports Drinks, Water Hydration Systems, Cups, Coolers, and More For Your Thirsty Athletes >>

www.nfhs.org
American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical Report. Sports drinks and energy drinks for children and adolescents: are they appropriate? Pediatrics 2011; 6: 1182-1189
Homes News Tribune newspaper, December 11, 2011 www.THNT.com

Phil Hossler, ATC has been an athletic trainer on the scholastic, collegiate and Olympic levels. He has authored 4 books and numerous articles and served as an officer in state and regional athletic training associations for 20 years. He is a member of four halls of fame including the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s.

Should You Really Be Taking Vitamins?

4 Common Questions About Vitamins

Q. When I feel tired can vitamins give me more energy?

A. Vitamins are catalysts to natural body functions. That is, they help the food you eat become broken down and absorbed for energy. Vitamins, by themselves, do not "pep you up". Active people need a diet high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat while meeting your daily requirements for fruits and vegetables. Vitamins allow your body to do what it is supposed to do. When you ask what vitamin is good for energy there is no single answer. The B vitamins work together to help the body process, produce, and efficiently use energy in different forms, and each one is necessary for good health.

Q. I am lifting weights and exercising every day. Should I increase my vitamins supplements now?

A. The National Academy of Sciences has established Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) as a guide to establish dietary requirements. Megadoses (up to 10 times normal) of vitamins and minerals can be dangerous. When consumed in excess, vitamins can be drug-like rather than body regulators. Fat soluble vitamins (such as A and D) can actually become poisonous when taken in excess over extended periods of time. The vast majority of Americans can met their vitamin and mineral needs by merely eating a better, balanced, and diversified diet.

Q. Are vitamin pills the same as the vitamins in food?

A. Yes. However, food also provides a source of calories to be burned for energy. Vitamins alone do not provide any energy. Food also provides bulk (fiber) which aids in digestion, absorption and elimination to promote regularity.

Q. What should I do if I am still not certain if I should take vitamin supplements?

A. Check your age and look at your diet. A vitamin/mineral supplement may be useful at a certain age (improper or inadequate eating habits as we grow older) or if you have a mild medical condition (calcium deficiency); check with your physician if you have any doubts.
A balanced diet is just that: balanced. It has contributions from fruits, vegetables, breads, lean meat/fish and dairy products. An athletic diet should concentrate on complex carbohydrates (65-70%, with protein contributing 10-15% and fat consumption reduced to 20-25%).

Phil Hossler, ATC has been an athletic trainer on the scholastic, collegiate and Olympic levels. He has authored 4 books and numerous articles and served as an officer in state and regional athletic training associations for 20 years. He is a member of four halls of fame including the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s.

How to Choose an Effective Post-Exercise Drink

Could Milk Be Your Secret Muscle Building Weapon?

As science catches up with athletic medicine, it certainly is within the role of the certified athletic trainer to have opinions on the fuel used by athletes to replenish and recharge after exercise.  Look around you, check the internet, have conversations with colleagues and attend meetings to find out more about this area. While it is undoubtedly within the domain of sports nutritionists and dieticians, most high schools and many colleges are not fortunate enough to this caliper of professional on staff.

Cost, convenience, availability and taste are all factors to consider when urging your athletes to utilize something during that two hour post-exercise window to recharge energy stores and replenish depleted protein sources.
I started urging something as simple and yet effective as chocolate milk when I speak to teams during preseason. Consider what the research says about chocolate milk as a post-exercise drink:

1. Protein.Helps build muscle, reduce muscle breakdown and works with carbohydrates to restore muscle glycogen.
2. Carbohydrates.Refuels muscles (restore muscle glycogen).
3. Electrolytes.Helps replenish what’s lost in sweat (sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium).
4. Fluids.Helps rehydrate the body.
5. Calcium and vitamin D.Strengthens bones and reduces the risk of stress fractures.
6. B vitamins.Helps convert food to energy.
7. 9 essential nutrients.Offers additional nutrients not typically found in traditional sports drinks.

Adding milk vending machines or selling milk at games for fund-raisers are ways to incorporate milk onto your team.

For more information on milk, go to the below links.  Or, sign up for our enewsletter to keep current on the latest sports medicine trends.

• www.milkdelivers.org
• Rolando Blackman, NBA Dallas Mavericks speaks at http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2010/12/16/carrollton_leader/news/163.txt
  
  • Crafting Diet for Peak Performance Discussed - go to http://www.northjersey.com/news/111578364_Crafting_diet_for_peak_performance_discussed.html

Phil Hossler, ATC has been an athletic trainer on the scholastic, collegiate and Olympic levels. He has authored 4 books and numerous articles and served as an officer in state and regional athletic training associations for 20 years. He is a member of four halls of fame including the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s.