Gatorade’s “Beat the Heat” campaign is running the entire summer and is an ongoing partership between Gatorade and the NFL to educate athletes, parents and coaches about heat-related illness and the importance of proper hydration. The goal is to reduce the number of heat-related injuries and deaths and help raise funds for organizations dedicated to preventing heat-related illness.

Proper hydration is key to avoid heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Water alone is not enough to hydrate and refuel the body as effectively as Gatorade does. Gatorade supplies the proper amount of fluid, electrolytes and carbohydrates to rapidly put back what your young athlete loses in sweat and provides energy to keep them going. In drinking water, the brain may turn off the perception of thirst before the body’s overall fluid needs are met and stops the athlete from fully rehydrating. The electrolytes in Gatorade help maintain the stimulus to drink so athletes drink enough to replenish and refuel.
I can attest to this as I am a huge cyclist and when I do my rides I always have 2 bottles on my bike. One is water and the other is Gatorade and I feel I need both in order to have a successful ride where I do not cramp up or over heat. I have ridden a few times with water only and it was a HUGE mistake and my body shut down and cramped up.

Heat related illnesses can strike at any time and you or your children may not even realize it is going on. Here are a few warning signs to be on the lookout for:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Weakness
• Fainting
• Poor concentration
• Flushed skin
• Light headedness
• Loss of muscle coordination
• Fatigue
• Vomiting

Remember Equipment makes a difference – wear light net-type jerseys, T-shirts and shorts, change sweat-soaked clothing, avoid wearing excess clothing, remove helmets when not playing and remember to stay hydrated.

Here Is A Hydration Guideline To Follow

• Flavored, cold, lightly salted and/or sports drinks like Gatorade improve voluntary fluid replacement by players, especially the younger athletes.

• Athletes need to think about hydration before, during and after physical activity. A player should be fully hydrated before beginning practice or competition. Fluids lost through sweat and breathing should be replaced by fluid consumption including during workouts, practices and games (physical activity).
• During activity, players should have unrestricted access to appropriate fluids. Thirst is a late indicator of the need to hydrate. Dehydration has occurred once thirst is turned on.
• The best approach, particularly in hot environments, is to have players weigh in and out each day to help determine adequate fluid replacement needs. Following a competition or workout, the coach should have players weigh out and drink enough to match their weight loss. Remember 16 ounces is one pound. For each pound that the player did not replace, the player may need to consume 20-24 ounces to fully rehydrate for the next training session.
• Players should consume food and drinks that contain a liberal amount of salt. Options like sports drinks and nutrition provide some benefit over water because sports drinks give athletes fluid to rehydrate, carbohydrates to fuel muscles and important electrolytes like sodium to help maintain fluid balance.

So remember the importance of proper hydration and use of Gatorade during physical activity to reduce and eliminate heat related illnesses.

Want to help a great cause? Download a free Gatorade Heat Safety Kit found at www.nfl.com/trainingcamp. For every unique download Gatorade will donate $1 to “Beat the Heat” charities up to $20,000.