The Proof with Simon Hill cover image

Hydration for optimal health and performance | Stacy Sims, PhD

The Proof with Simon Hill

NOTE

The origins and marketing success of Gatorade

Electrolyte companies promote sugar-free products, while Gatorade contains a significant amount of sugar. Carbohydrates improve hydration by activating fluid transport mechanisms in the small intestines. Sodium alone cannot activate all these mechanisms. Gatorade's success is attributed to its origins in the 1960s when it was developed by a football coach and a renal physiologist. It initially contained an artificial sweetener, but when it was taken off the market, more carbohydrate was added to maintain sweetness. Gatorade's marketing shifted from hydration to supplying carbohydrate for performance. Research supports carbohydrate availability for performance, but not hydration.

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