For kids involved in intense and prolonged physical activity, sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade may provide a quick source of energy (simple carbohydrates) and may help replace electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that are lost with sweating.
While Gatorade should never be used as a substitute for milk, infants and toddlers can safely drink Gatorade beverages once they are weaned off breast milk or formula and begin consuming food, fruit juices, and other beverages.
Sports drinks are not appropriate for children as the high electrolyte content can cause imbalances in your child's system, which can be dangerous. Water is good for hydration; however, if they drink too much water, it can dilute electrolytes, causing imbalance.
Both Pedialyte and Gatorade are considered safe for children and adults. Pedialyte is generally recommended for children one year of age and over, while Gatorade can be given to children four and over.
Gatorade is not a particularly healthy drink choice and should not be given on a daily basis. A typical 600ml or (20 fl oz) gatorade will exceed the recommended 25g daily sugar intake for 2-18 year olds and close to 1/3rd of the recommended 800mg of salt intake for 2-3 year olds .
Will it rehydrate your child and support their potassium and sodium levels? You bet. We would caution against using any of the Gatorade Zero products, which are equivalent to “diet” drinks. Remember, we want to restore glucose levels when a child is sick.
Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.
Energy drinks are heavily marketed to kids, but energy drinks and kids don't mix. Some parents may not know that energy drinks can actually be harmful for kids' health. Most health professionals agree that energy drinks should be avoided among children and limited for adults.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks or other products for children under the age of 12, while adolescents between the ages of age 12 and 18 should limit their intake to less than 100 milligrams per day – about the size of an old-fashioned cup of coffee.
Key Takeaways. Gatorade is a high-energy electrolyte drink that replenishes the electrolytes and energy lost during rigorous workouts and sports.
PRIME Hydration and Energy drinks state on their labelling that children aged 15 and 18 years old respectively should not consume these drinks.
Offer as much fluid as your child will drink. If they are able to eat solid foods, water is fine. So is half-strength Gatorade or apple juice. If your child will not eat solid foods, give milk or formula as the fluid.
The simple answer is no. Caffeine is a stimulant found in tea, coffee, and soda, but it is not present in Gatorade. However, you will find electrolytes, such as potassium and sodium, in Gatorade, which are essential to keep you hydrated.
Gatorade Fit is the newest electrolyte beverage from Gatorade and is formulated for those seeking healthy, real hydration with no added sugar.
Powerade boasts more micronutrients than Gatorade, with magnesium, niacin, and vitamins in each serving. The basic draw of sports drinks is their ability to provide the body with electrolytes, substances that help the body regulate chemical reactions and maintain a balance of bodily fluids (per Cleveland Clinic).
Gatorade Cool Blue
Gatorade Cool Blue can replenish your electrolytes after a workout, a night on the town, or any time you're feeling dehydrated.
“Sports drinks have sodium in them, so they're going to make you thirsty. When you're thirsty, you want to drink more. In doing so, you're keeping your body hydrated. That's a good thing,” she says.
"Sports beverages may be fine for healthy persons following intensive exercise, but they are not recommended for those with fever, diarrhea or vomiting.
Mild dehydration due to illness in children over 1 year old
Electrolyte solutions like Pedialyte or Gatorade will help your child replace both fluids and electrolytes that have been lost. If your child is vomiting, he or she should drink small amounts of liquid often rather than a lot all at once.
“Every child needs electrolytes to live,” Dr. Bonhoeffer says, explaining that the most important electrolytes for children and adults include sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
Give your child small sips of oral rehydration solution as often as possible, about 1 or 2 teaspoons (5 or 10 milliliters) every few minutes. Babies can continue to breastfeed or take formula, as long as they are not vomiting repeatedly. Older children also can have electrolyte ice pops.