According to the hydration expert and president of the Ibero-American Nutrition Foundation, Ángel Gil, children "should never drink energy drinks, since in addition to water and sugar, they contain caffeine, taurine and other substances that alter the normal functioning of the nervous system. In fact, they are also not recommended in excess for adults because of their high doses of caffeine". This was stated on the occasion of the tenth edition of the conference of update in Nutrition of the University of Navarra, which brought together in Pamplona a hundred experts in human nutrition and dietetics.

The Full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Granada and member of CIBERobn warned that water cannot be substituted: "All people should drink mostly water, either directly or through foods with a high water content -prepared dishes, such as soups; fruits and vegetables; coffee, tea or milk-". Soft drinks, he explained, can contain a majority percentage of water but also added sugars: "And in a normal per diem expenses no more than 10% of added sugars is necessary, so these beverages, if consumed, should be in moderation".

Another subject product is the so-called sports drinks. These, in the expert's opinion, are recommended for both adults and children: "They contain sodium and glucose in the necessary proportion to help the body recover after intense and/or long-lasting exercise. Moreover, they are regulated products and do not pose any danger, quite the contrary: they can and should be consumed for sports internship ".

Athlete in hot weather: doubles water intake

In this regard, Ángel Gil stressed that it is important to hydrate before, during and after doing sport: "For example, in the case of a 10-kilometer degree program , which is so fashionable nowadays, it is crucial to start at a good hydration status , for which it is advisable to take a specific drink before starting. Then, if possible, continue to hydrate during the run and, of course, do so at the end, since in many cases the loss of water - and especially electrolytes - is related to heat stroke, which can be fatal.

Hydration, one of the topics core topic of these conference, should be taken into account whether or not sport is practiced: "A middle-aged person in normal health has to consume between 2 and 3 liters of water a day, counting what is ingested through food, but if you also do intense exercise in a hot climate zone, this need almost doubles, up to 4 or 5 liters. In fact, adds Full Professor, "intense exercise in hot weather can cause a person to lose up to 5 liters of water through sweating".

In total, a hundred experts have gathered at the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarra at conference -directed by the Full Professor of Nutrition and member of CIBERobn Alfredo Martinez- which has been held for ten years. During this time they have brought together 1,200 experts on topics such as nutrition and women, or nutrition, obesity and Genetics.