Overview
Gatorade still enjoys a reputation for having an effect on athletes, and allowing them to endure during strenuous activity, such as playing sports on a professional level.
The Claim
Gatorade replaces the electrolytes that your body loses when you exercise, allowing you to last longer on the playing field, or on the court. The claim is not made as much anymore because it is understood by the mainstream consumer that this is what Gatorade does.
The Hype
Because of an intense amount of advertising, including product placement and celebrity endorsements, many have come to believe that Gatorade really does what it claims.
Professional athletes do a lot more than drink Gatorade (if we’re to believe that’s what’s actually in the Gatorade bottles you see at game time). They consume a lot of high-quality foods and work out under the direct supervision of personal trainers and fitness coaches. They also take in a lot of supplements that allow them to push it to the max and best their opponents.
The hype enters in when a weekend warrior sees his idol drinking what appears to be Gatorade from a squeeze bottle with a big logo on it. He or she then makes the incorrect assumption that if Tiger Woods or Lebron James or Jerry Rice or Derek Jeter drinks Gatorade, then it must be what gives them their edge.
It’s total hype. It’s just a
carry-over from properly delivered marketing that touts that Gatorade was made by scientists in order to help the University of Florida Gators last longer in the Florida heat. While this may have been true, it’s not an apples to apples comparison because what is called Gatorade nowadays, is hardly comparable to what it first was.The Cost
Gatorade competes with all of the other beverage options that consumers have when they want to drink something besides water. Therefore the cost of Gatorade is competitive and not unusually high. You can usually obtain an individual-sized bottle for around a dollar, or more if you buy it from convenience stores.
The Commitment
All you’re required to do is drink Gatorade and your body will be renewed by the electrolytes it contains in it.
Evaluation
Gatorade first came out back in the late sixties, when products were made with real ingredients. These days, giant multinational corporations like PepsiCo will put just about anything into foods and drinks in order to keep their manufacturing costs down.
For example the original ingredients that went into Gatorade, water, sodium, sugar, potassium, phosphate and lemon juice might have actually been real. For example, they may have used natural spring water, sea salt, pure cane sugar, real lemon juice, and potassium and phosphate sourced from all natural plants and minerals. Today they would use filtered tap water, industrial-grade sugar and salt, synthetic phosphate and potassium, and lemon juice flavoring.
Gatorade may have originally worked in it’s earliest form when it allegedly helped the Florida Gators win their first Orange Bowl in 1967. The product that exists today is nothing like the original, and has few, if any, health benefits. It’s not as bad for you as cola, but it contains large amounts of sugar. Before everyone figured out how bad high fructose corn syrup is, Gatorade used to contain it as its third ingredient, right after regular old sucrose syrup.
You can bet that they still put things in Gatorade that are just as bad for you as HFCS, but that the public isn’t yet aware of.
No, Gatorade does not work and it’s likely it hasn’t worked ever since the 70’s when it was mass produced and got its first licensing agreement with the NFL.
Our Recommendation
When you’re thirsty drink water. There’s nothing in Gatorade that will help you be any healthier. You’re not Michael Jordan and you’re not trying to win any championships. The sodium in Gatorade will only end up making you thirstier, and you’ll end up drinking water eventually.
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View Comments
For everyday people that exercise occasionally, it doesn't really help and they don't need it. But as anyone that exercises seriously, like running 10 miles or scrimmaging for 2+ hours of intense play or hiking for 20 miles in high temps with serious elevation, then yes it does work. If you run 10 miles you can literally scrap off the sodium from your face from the sweat. Your body needs this and you need to replenish if you want to maintain good physical balance.
Well Jackson Hill, I don't know why we would believe your negative comments rather than what we experience.
I suffered from heat exhaustion - almost heat stroke several years back. It's been a tough recovery, but time and again when symptoms hit, a part bottle of gatorade relieves the symptoms. (more if sweating and less if inside) I was here looking for reasons that a weak heart, or a fast beating heart or stress responding heart or whatever it is would be affected by gatorade. Didn't find anything yet, but this ... post and thought I would add a bit of positiveness to the reviews.
Interesting. The author doesn't include any citations to studies or stats to support his claim, yet he does make valid arguments regarding the ingredients.
Those who commented? Well, "it works" because they've used it. Should we believe you just because you've drank Koolaid--sorry, I meant Gatorade--and "felt" it? Ever heard of placebo effect?
Just because it contains electrolytes doesn't mean they're absorbed by the body and available for use in a timely manner. Study after study is debunking the aura surrounding supplements (for diet or exercise-related benefits). Perhaps Gatorade needs a bit more REAL study.
Why even debate about whether Gatorade works or not? Any drink that has sufficient amounts of the ingredients necessary to do the job will work. Yes I state the obvious. Doesn't matter Gatorade, Powerade, or whateverade.
Gatorade does work. I purchase a lot of Gatorade in the summer months for my husband as he works up to twelve hours outdoors in the hot heat. The Gatorade keeps his body hydrated along with quenching his thirst. There are many different flavors to choose from and you can always find these on sale for fifty cents a piece. I always make sure to have these in the summer for my family as it does really work.
I was diagnosed with the Epstein Barr Virus back in 2001, and have never gotten back my energy since. I have adjusted my diet since then, and have improved, but I will never be back to 100%. I exercise almost 6 days a week, but after a long, strenuous run, during the summer months, Gatorade is a lifesaver. After drinking it, I feel replenished, I recover much faster and can complete the rest of my workout much quicker.
I am extremely careful about what I put in my body.....but Gatorade is ideal to have for an athlete.
Gatorade does work. It is not meant to drink all the time or for people that are not physically active. Sports drinks are meant to replace electrolytes after strenuous activity. I am a marathon runner and during marathons they actually hand out Gatorade to the runners at water stops. I drink a Gatorade before and after any run that is more than 10 miles. Sometimes water is not enough to replace what will be lost during a run.
I'm not disagreeing (or agreeing) with the article, however the person who wrote this seems to not really have any idea what he/she was actually talking about. They just sound like some regular person who decided to bash Gatorade because it doesn't make them feel more energized or anything. Maybe that's because Gatorade isn't meant to do that perhaps..?
There isn't one citation on this entire page or any of the comments.
If this is a debunking site, it has very low intellectual standards. I don't trust this page more than word on the street.
Industrial-grade sugar is bad for you. Citations: Every single study that's been done on the effects of sugar on the human body, the label on each bottle of Gatorade, et al.
Gatorade is not going to help just anyone, but for serious athletes it's great. It does have its advantages and has helped me narrowly avoid serious dehydration in the past. As an avid runner I highly recommend Gatorade after a really long run. Your body needs the electrolytes badly after a long run especially in the heat, and it really gets you back on your feet faster than water does. Not to mention the carbs you will need to replace after a serious workout. But if you just sit on your butt all day and drink it no you won't get any benefit from it. It's all about how you use it. It is not a diet supplement either.