Your body needs water to do pretty much everything, including breathing, thinking, and recovering from an injury. But staying hydrated isn’t as simple as having bottles of water handy...and energy drinks don’t count.

For young athletes, hydration is vital to staying at the top of their peak performance, helping them stay sharp physically and mentally.

Here’s what the pediatric sports medicine specialists at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital recommend.

1. Drink the Right Stuff

Water is the best option for hydration. But sports drinks play a role, too. These drinks contain electrolytes — essential minerals that help your body absorb fluid better. Look for drinks that contain low or no sugar, plus:

• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Sodium

Caffeinated drinks, including sports drinks with caffeine, will dehydrate you - which is what you don’t want. Dehydration can affect your speed, muscle function and strength.

Avoid sugary drinks, such as juice and soda. They contribute to weight gain and obesity and can increase your risk for diabetes.

2. Keep Track of Your Fluid Intake

A good guideline is to drink — in ounces — half of what you weigh in pounds. So, you should drink 75 oz a day if you weigh 150 pounds, 100 oz a day if you weigh 200 pounds, and so on.

Download Keys to the Game Hydration Tips flyer.

3. Timing is Everything

The hours leading up to practice or competition are the most important.

Two to three hours before intense exercise:

• Drink 16 to 24 oz of water or an electrolyte sports drink.
• Eat a healthy meal that is rich in carbohydrates and sodium.

20 minutes before intense exercise:

• Drink 8 to 12 oz of water or a sports drink.

During competition:

• Drink diluted sports drinks for quicker absorption of electrolytes.

After competition:

• Check how much weight you’ve lost during exercise.
• Drink 16 oz of water or an electrolyte sports drink for every pound lost.

4. Watch for These Signs of Dehydration

Even when you are careful, dehydration can happen. Heavy sweating, super-hot weather, or just forgetting to drink water may be to blame.

If you are dehydrated, take a break. Chug some water or a sports drink, and return to action when you’re feeling more yourself.

Dehydration warning signs include:

• Cravings for sweets
• Dark yellow or amber urine
• Dry mouth or throat
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps

Get medical attention if you are experiencing:

• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Rapid breathing or increased heart rate

5. Your Pee Tells the Story

Start paying attention to the color of your pee. The darker it is, the more likely you are dehydrated. To assess your hydration level, compare the color of your pee using this urine color chart.

Remember that some vitamins and supplements may darken the color of urine.

7. Use Your School’s Athletic Trainer

Every public school in Broward and Palm Beach Counties has a full-time athletic trainer (AT). So do many private schools. Athletic trainers are experts in sports nutrition, hydration, proper warm-up and cool-down techniques, injury prevention, injury management, rehabilitation and more. Seek out your AT if you have any questions or need help with hydration, your exercise routine or anything else related to your performance. Even if you don’t play sports for your school, ATs are there to help you perform at your best.

Do You Need Help with a Sports Injury?

The U18 (pediatric) Sports Medicine Program at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital has 10 full-time, board-certified orthopedic and sports medicine doctors, and employs more than 60 athletic trainers who work at local schools.

If you have a sports injury and want to see a sports medicine specialist, call 954-265-6300 to schedule an appointment.