The Simple Way to Boost Your Child’s Athletic Performance

If you have a child who plays sports, you may be wondering how you can help your child reach their highest potential while they remain healthy and safe. Although drinking plenty of water may seem like a simple step, it impacts nearly every aspect of your kid’s athletic performance.

Drinking water enhances energy and endurance, improves movement, strength and agility, and boosts recovery, aiding physical and mental performance while reducing the risk of injuries. While it is important to be hydrated before a workout, it is vital to replace fluid lost after exercise.

During exercise, your child may need to consume more water than usual depending on their age and size, the intensity of their activity and the environmental factors. Kids who participate in sports need to drink plenty of water, especially if they’re outside in hot, humid weather.

As your child expends energy during exercise, their metabolic rate is higher than normal and their core body temperature rises. Sweating is the primary method the body uses to cool itself. Without proper hydration, the body is less able to combat the rise in temperature and can leave your child at risk to dizziness, cramps, fainting, heat stress, or even heat stroke.

However, drinking adequate amounts of water not only improves blood flow, circulation and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to working muscles, but also helps remove waste from the muscles. Additionally, proper hydration helps maintain blood pressure during exercise so the heart doesn’t need to work as hard. Staying hydrated can help reduce muscle fatigue and reduce your child’s risk of injury.

Diet can also play a role in the amount of water your child may need to drink. Eating food that is high in protein or sodium may increase their need to drink more water. Yet eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help, since these foods are high in water. Sport drinks are loaded with sugar and caffeine, while drinking fresh, clean water is the natural and healthy way for your athlete to best stay hydrated.

It’s vital for your athlete to take time for water breaks. Although thirst is an important indicator when hydration is needed, by the time it is recognized, dehydration may already be a factor. Your child needs access to clean, pure water. An undersink RO filtration system can improve the taste and odor of drinking water and encourage them to stay hydrated with delicious, pure, clean water. 

Brita PRO’s a high-capacity under-sink reverse osmosis system improves both the taste and quality of water for drinking and is NSF certified. Learn more today at www.britapro.com.