Nutrition for Young Athletes
 Custom Search Do you know the four objectives of the nutrition for young athletes? The most often considered aspects are growth and performance. The third, all over the news in the summer, is proper hydration and the fourth aspect of nutrition for young athletes that should not be neglected, boosting immunity. Science has shown that both by diet and supplements it is possible to increase immunity. Interestingly, one immunity booster will at the same time increase performance strength 13 to 15%. More on this at the bottom of this page. Why consider immunity? Remember the November 2009 stories on the news about a young athlete sidelined with H1N1 Swine Flu. Even worse, a high school cheerleader who was disabled by the vaccine. Both lives will be changed forever. Pushing the body to its limits while it is also in growth and development requires looking beyond athletic performance. Pushing young bodies to the limit pushes the immune system to the limit. The Four Foundations of Nutrition for Young Athletes
More is required than just eating a well balanced diet. More is necessary than maintaining proper hydration. Young bodies need a diet that will help fuel the athletic activities, provide the building blocks of growth and development, and boost immunity as part of nutrition for young athletes. Healthy Hydration Proper nutrition for young athletes includes hydration. Failure to maintain fluid balance can result in poor athletic performance. This can and has resulted in illness and death. Young athletes are at greater risk than adults for several reasons. Young athletes...
Because of these reasons, it is necessary to encourage frequently rehydrate, even if the young athletes deny that they are thirsty. There are no age related guidelines for nutrition for young athletes. Most guidelines as of May 2009 are based on adult needs. None the less, there is a need for proper hydration. It is agreed that sports drinks may be more beneficial than just water. However because often they are designed for adults, caution is encouraged. Some choose to mix the drinks 50 / 50 with filtered water. Note: One sport drink company used to make the claim that sport drinks are better than water. One even went so far as to say that their product was absorbed as fast as water. There is one problem with their study establishing their claim. The fluid was instilled in the jejunum via a feeding tube, bypassing the stomach. So, had the stomach acids and fluids been added, there is a good chance the outcome would have been different. What sports drinks do that water cannot, is provide carbohydrate energy for the athletic muscles. They also can encourage you to drink enough fluid to avoid dehydration. The addition of carbohydrates and other electrolytes could slow down the absorption when compared to water. Sport drinks have a few risks of adverse side effects compared to water, which has none. if consumed in proper quantities. This leaves the question, is it is worth paying the price for a bottle of sport drink? Calories Nutrition for young athletes includes the need for more calories and carbohydrates than those who lead a more sedentary lifestyle. The requirements can be 10 to 15 percent more calories depending on the type of activity, the intensity, how often and how long they are active. Note:There is no scientific evidence to support either carbohydrate loading or increased protein intake in the nutrition for young athletes. Numerous nutrition tips for young athletes will have all kind of recommendations. The reality is, according to PubMed, there is no high level study saying what will or will not help, with a few exceptions noted below. Also Note:Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, May, 2009 in an article improve strength in athletes at the same time. Oh yes, some studies even say this improves cognitive abilities. That mean better grades and smarter athletic prowess. Note that it is not the supplement that boosts strength, rather the glutathione that does this. The supplement has been shown to boost glutathione. The studies say that this is accomplished by boosting your glutathione. There are several ways to do this. The first and most obvious would be to eliminate those foods that deplete glutathione in the body. Avoid foods with MSG. Avoid aspartame, Nutrasweet, and saccharin and Splenda. Avoid fluoride in water and avoid chlorinated water. Avoid fast foods as they often have many chemicals that deplete glutathione. In addition to eliminating the glutathione reducing chemicals and toxins, eat a diet rich in glutathione boosting cysteine and glutathione co-factors. Additionally, there are supplements that can help boost glutathione. Although some will promote NAC for this, many peer reviewed studies discourage using NAC in young ones. One of the more popular brands of GSH boosting supplements even says it is not for those under 18. There is a safe cysteine supplement that can be used as part of the nutrition for young athletes. It is listed in the Physicians Desk Reference. It is also listed in the Pharmacist Red Book. Check it out for yourself. Click Here: Learn About the Best Cysteine For Young Athletes
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