For generations, Gatorade and similar electrolyte beverages have been helpful tools for athletes seeking a competitive edge.
In 1965, Dr Robert Cade and a team of scientists at the University of Florida College of Medicine created Gatorade to help their football players combat heat exhaustion and muscle cramps during long practices in extreme temperatures.
The drink’s winning formula of water, sodium, potassium and sugar works effectively with the human body to keep users hydrated, refueling them with energy and optimizing muscle function.
While I don’t work for or receive funding from Gatorade, as a registered dietitian and nutrition instructor, I’ve watched how specific electrolyte beverages can be handpicked to boost hydration in hospitalized patients, student athletes and even myself.
And while Gatorade was one of the first electrolyte beverages heavily marketed to consumers, its ingredient combination has paved the way for the creation of even more sport and electrolyte beverages on the grocery store shelves today. If you’re looking to gain a specific nutritional edge from a sports drink, you can seek out a registered dietitian for an individualized plan. Otherwise, if you’ve ever wondered what makes these colorful beverages a nutrition attraction, here’s a closer look at some key ingredients.
The importance of hydration
Whether people are athletes or not, the human body is constantly losing water through normal human functions such as sweating, urinating and even breathing. When water is lost, the body also excretes key electrolytes such as potassium and sodium. These electrolytes are crucial for everything from heart function to muscle contractions.
Electrolytes get their “electro” name from having an electrical charge when dissolved in water. This charge allows them to work throughout the body in chemical reactions that maintain normal brain functioning, balance fluids inside and outside of body cells and even balance how acidic or alkaline your blood is.
Major stress on the body can accelerate the dehydration process – whether it’s intentional, like running a 5K, or unintentional, like getting a nasty stomach bug. If left unchecked, dehydration can cause more serious complications, such as fainting and irregular heartbeats.
To prevent these complications, you need to replenish the fluids and electrolytes you’re losing. Stressful scenarios such as exercise and sickness are a perfect time to consider an electrolyte replacement drink.
A closer look at Gatorade’s ingredients
Water, the main ingredient in most sports drinks, hydrates you. The human body is made up of approximately 60% water, so to stay hydrated, it is important to listen to your body and drink water regularly. When the body’s water volume is decreased, it sends thirst signals to the brain.
However, these signals often lag behind your hydration status. So, once you feel thirsty, your body is likely already slightly dehydrated. For a more accurate hydration assessment, check the color of your urine. Darker yellow or golden urine? Grab some water. Pale yellow or clear urine? Keep up the good hydration.
Sodium, another ingredient in Gatorade, attracts water. When you are dehydrated, the body’s blood is more concentrated because less water is circulating overall.
When you have a lower blood volume, your blood vessels don’t expand as much as they normally would – ultimately lowering blood pressure. If blood pressure drops too quickly due to dehydration, you might feel dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea or weakness.
The good news is that sodium actively pulls water into the bloodstream. So during an intense workout or while dealing with a dehydrating illness, consuming a salty snack or sports beverage can help.
The potassium in Gatorade regulates muscle contractions. This electrolyte is especially critical for regulating your heartbeat, and it also aids in normal skeletal muscle contractions. If the body lacks enough potassium, painful muscle cramps or dizziness can disrupt your workout or day.
Sugar provides quick energy and nutrient absorption power. A traditional Gatorade beverage contains glucose and dextrose, which are both known as simple sugars. A simple sugar is one that the body can quickly digest and absorb, with the goal of quickly increasing blood sugar.
Strenuous aerobic exercise or strength training for longer than 60 minutes, performing activities in very hot or humid climates, or the physical strain of an unwelcome illness can all rev the body’s metabolism and quickly deplete blood glucose. When glucose levels drop, you may experience fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, nausea or difficulty concentrating.
The nutrient combination found in Gatorade was designed with athletes in mind, but it is also sometimes discussed as a remedy to consider during an unpleasant bout of gastrointestinal illness. Diarrhea and vomiting are easy routes for electrolytes such as sodium and potassium to escape.
Energy drinks’ combination of simple sugars, water and electrolytes may be one strategy to maintain hydration during a time when food and fluids are difficult to stomach.
However, be cautious – many traditional sports drinks have a high sugar content aimed at refueling lost energy during a workout. When that same sugar content is introduced to an upset gastrointestinal tract, it can pull in extra water, leading to more diarrhea. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some other options to consider.
Opt for a lower-sugar electrolyte beverage. Beverages to consider include Pedialyte or even a broth-based soup. Both will hydrate with minimal added sugar content.
The human body is incredibly efficient at managing nutrients in the blood. In most cases, balanced meals and water consumption are enough to meet your daily nutrient needs. During intense physical exercise or an unexpected illness, however, the body may struggle to maintain its usual balance.
If you notice unusual symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue or persistent thirst, your body will need attention. In specific cases of dehydration from exercise or illness, a sports drink like Gatorade can be a simple tool to help you bounce back to your best self.
Bryn Beeder is Visiting Instructor in Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health, Miami University, Ohio.
The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
© The Conversation
19 Comments
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John-San
LOL figjam.
iknowall
Neither this article nor the article to which you provide a link mention "excessive amount". Just making up terms does not make those facts.
As to Experts on nutrition do of course warn about energy drinks and their effect on cardiac health that is false.
In the article you link to, no expert "warns about energy drinks".
The article is only about Gatorade.
And there is no mention of "cardiac health" in the article either. Can you provide factual information from now on?
virusrex
The point is that the original comment made a deeply irresponsible mischaracterization of the warnings about sodium, as if the medical professionals that warn about it were not considering an adequate amount and just made a blanket prohibition for everybody, that is obviously not the case. The whole point is that there is such thing as an excessive amount, so the comment (not the article) is making a wrong claim, easily proved with the reference. The article is not the one trying to make this misleading claim the comment is.
Gatorade is an electrolyte beverage, there is the relevance.
Elevated blood pressure is a well known factor for cardiac health, pretending not to know this is, frankly speaking, beyond believable.
Can you bring for example any medical source where it says there is no need to take care of sodium intake?
virusrex
So... no arguments? Just accepting that your misrepresentation was incorrect?
iknowall
Ok, we understand you are stating your thoughts, and not medical scientific facts.
You admit no expert "warns against energy drinks".
Also, Gatorade is a brand name. Some of its products are protein powders, protein bars, towels, cups---so, it is NOT an electrolyte beverage.
According to medical professionals elevated blood pressure affects the force on the ARTERIES. I guess it comes as a surprise to you but the heart and arteries are not one and the same!
Again, nowhere in the article is "cardiac health" mentioned, like you falsely claimed because it is basic knowledge that high blood pressure can cause or be a risk for many health issues--eye damage, kidney disease, stroke, heart attack.
So limiting the elevated blood pressure only as a risk for "cardiac health" shows a lack of understanding of this basic health matter.
virusrex
You have made no argument against the source that clearly repeats the warnings, trying to misrepresent something medical professionals say as if they did not exist and the comment in the vacuum only evidence that you now understand the claim that excess of sodium is bad is well supported by professionals.
The article is about electrolyte beverages, gatorade is a clear example. Experts ALSO warn about energy drinks.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5714807/
So you are wrong on both.
https://ubortho.com/news/whats-the-difference-between-gatorade-and-water/
Gatorade is an electrolyte-rich drink that helps replace electrolytes that are lost in the body during exercise.
So wrong about this as well.
So you claim that the heart have no arteries that are affected with sodium intake?
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-living/healthy-eating/salt-and-heart-health
Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease
And again I am not correcting the article but a mistaken comment that mistakenly argued there is no problem with sodium intake.
As the references clearly prove, this is a mistake you make by not understanding basic concepts of health
Zaphod
A bit of a misleading headline. The article actually points out that there is no problem with adding electrolytes, but that the high sugar content in concoctions like Gatorade or Pocari Sweat is unhealthy. Something that many of us have pointed out before.
Wasabi
How many time this article use the name "Gatorade" and why.... ? $$$much
virusrex
Generally speaking electrolyte beverages include high content of sugar (enough to promote those than do not as "diet" or similar). As long as the generalization is correct it is not misleading to use it, after all part of the mechanism of action of the drinks depends on the sugars.
Which of the multiple links with references is not factual?
Jimizo
Are you qualified in this area?
I’d give odds of 50/1 on yes.
iknowall
Did experts warn about the towels?
https://www.gatorade.com/equipment
virusrex
No need, people with a minimum amount of common sense understand that by using "Gatorade" people refer to the drinks.
I mean, even the article you are commenting in do so: "A closer look at Gatorade’s ingredients"
Obviously nobody understand this to include the "ingredients" for towels.
At least you abandoned the rest of your mistaken claims about human health. The references are useful in this way to provide a background to correct invalid concepts.
CigarLUV88
Best electrolyte is a pinch of sea salt with iodine in your water twice daily! Zero sugar!
iknowall
Good. So you finally understand the article doesn't "warns about energy drinks".
So you understand elevated blood pressure is not mentioned in the Gatorade article as a warning about "cardiac health". Now you can finally move on!
virusrex
The article warns about electrolyte beverages, doctors warn about both electrolyte beverages and energy drinks for different reasons.
I never claimed it was, It is mentioned in a comment that misrepresented sodium as not important for health, but as the reference clearly shows doctors do give importance to it and recommend to be aware of it since it can represent a risk when taken in excess, something that could happen when consuming electrolyte beverages.
virusrex
The sources and the quote are still here, why pretend not being able to see them, I can copy past it again without difficulty so your claim refuted again.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/518241-can-gatorade-increase-blood-pressure/
https://ubortho.com/news/whats-the-difference-between-gatorade-and-water/
Gatorade is an electrolyte-rich drink that helps replace electrolytes that are lost in the body during exercise.
You even wrote the article is about gatorade (which is an electrolyte beverage) going back in circles on your own claims only makes it clear you understand you have been mistaken the whole time. Next you are again going to claim Gatorade are towels?
Gaijinjland
Funny… I read an article on the BBC about how over-hydration is dangerous and can be fatal in rare cases and that modern bottle water companies have duped people into believing they need to drink more than the human body actually needs. Nobody needs to drink 2 liters of pure water per day… as you get most of what you need through coffee and the likes. Look it up. I’m not BS’ing.