It has been declared that adolescent athletes, especially males, can lose as much as 1.5 quarts water through perspiration when performing an intense sporting event in extreme heat. The most disturbing issue is that most of these young athletes are dehydrated before they even start to play the game. The simple fact is that coaches and parents are not encouraging the proper methods to insure that their children and/or athletes are better hydrated before commencing a strenuous sport in the heat. The following should provide information on how to reduce the risk of dehydration in young athletes.

The goal of this article is to help prevent the severe effects of Dehydration in Young Athletes, which is in the tens of millions throughout our nation and around the world. Sports, including, soccer, football, lacrosse, baseball, track and many other sports that require increased physical performance into the hot summer months and played specifically in areas where the climate is warm all year round. Every parent and coach that in involved needs to be aware of the dangers of dehydration and should insure that the proper steps are taken to prevent dehydration. Proper hydration needs to be explained and implemented by parents and coaches, because, not to do so will surely affect the performance of the young athlete and could cause serious injury.

An athlete must gradually adapt to high heat and humidity. When exposed to these conditions it is important to understand that "being thirsty" may not necessarily be the only sign that the young athlete's body is becoming dehydrated.

Have your body adapt to the weather conditions - The human body needs time to become acclimated to increased high temperatures and high humidity. This is even truer when it comes to the young athlete who is pushing his or her body to the limit to perform well.

Drinking water regularly - It is of utmost importance that drinking water before becoming thirsty is explained and implemented with young athletes. Parents and coaches should be encourage their children to drink before, during and after practice and games

Know the signs of dehydration - A young athlete that becomes fatigued or dizzy, and feels nauseous during exercise in high heat and humidity should be immediately told to stop rest and drink water.

Make sure you have plenty of the PROPER water - There are many different brands of bottled waters available on the market today. Make sure you purchase the best bottled water that will replace minerals, oxygen saturation and electrolytes to keep the young athletes safe and performing at their best. One recommendation is a new bottled water expected to hit the market soon, LiveEarth Water.

These are just some of the steps needed to be taken to help reduce the risk of dehydration. However, the most important point to stress is to make sure that young athletes drink plenty of water, before during and after they practice or participate in a sporting event in high heat and humidity.