Gatorade is Better for Athletes Than Water

Gatorade is Better for Athletes Than Water Samantha Achauer, Hayley Calhoun, Olivia Collins, Christine George, Sara Hurley, DaJahnae Pryor, Britni Roundtree, Anne Schneeberger, Grayson Thacker

Healthcare Belief Gatorade is better for athletes than water.

Initial Group Vote Fact: 6 Fiction: 3

Background Gatorade contains electrolytes that are naturally produced by your body, such as potassium and sodium, as well as a certain amount of carbohydrates. The sodium that is found in Gatorade helps your body retain the fluids that are lost through sweating. This type of drink is also high in calories, and it can replace the energy that is lost while you are playing sports. If you are taking part in a high-intensity sport session for an extended period of time or in a high-temperature environment, it is recommended that you drink Gatorade.

Background The carbohydrates in Gatorade can help to replace glycogen that is lost while you are doing vigorous physical activities. Drinking Gatorade is only necessary for vigorous activities such as long distance running and cycling, playing soccer and other sports.

Background Gatorade was created in 1965 at the University of Florida to help the Florida Gators football team avoid dehydration. The Florida Gators increased endurance and improved from a 7-4 record in 1965 to 9-2 record. They also won the Orange Bowl in 1967, with the help of Gatorade. In 1969, the professional football team the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl after having their players drink Gatorade. Gatorade became the NFL s official sports drink in 1983.

Background Water performs a number of essential functions to keep your body in balance and hydrated, including regulating the temperature of your body, transporting nutrients to cells and removing waste products. When you are performing physical activities that cause you to sweat, your body will lose a substantial amount of water, resulting in thirst and possibly dehydration. Drinking water is sufficient to keep your body hydrated before, during and after a light or moderate exercise session.

Background SM Shirreffs, LF Aragon-Vargas, et. al. Experiment Measured whether Gatorade or Mineral water helped better hydrate professional soccer players. 26 players observed throughout one 90-minute period in about 32 degrees C (about 90 degrees F) heat. Players were weighed before and afterward and told only to drink from their beverage containers. Patches to gather sweat were attached to the arm, back, thigh, and chest of seven players.

Background Experiment Results When the players perspired, Na+ was lost. When the players drank water, almost none of the Na+ was replaced. However, when the players drank Gatorade, about 62% of the Na+ levels were replaced. Overall, only 23.21% of the sodium lost by sweating was replaced by the athletes through drinking water or Gatorade. Soccer players did not drink enough water or Gatorade to replace the water they lost by sweating.

Background SM Shirreffs, LF Aragon-Vargas, M Keil, et. al. Experiment Tested which beverage, Gatorade, San Benedetto mineral water, Evian mineral water, or Apfelschorle (an apple-juice/water mixture), rehydrated volunteers best. Athletes think that Apfelschorle, San Benedetto mineral water, and Gatorade rehydrate well; while athletes don t think Evian mineral water rehydrates well. 8 volunteers exercised in the heat, and after four hours their hydration state was checked.

Background Experiment Results Four hours after drinking the beverages, those who drank San Benedetto mineral water, Evian mineral water, and Apfelschorle were dehydrated (were at a lower hydration state). The volunteers who drank Gatorade, however, were at the same hydration state as when they started (were not dehydrated).

Hypothesis Those athletes who drink Gatorade will, on average, feel comparatively better than athletes who drink water.

Experiment Setup Our group was instructed to run for a total time of thirty minutes on both 6/14 and 6/16. We drank Gatorade before and after running one day and consumed water the other day. We then recorded our energy levels before and after using a 5 point scale, with 5 being ready to run a marathon and 1 being unwilling to get off the couch.

Experiment Names Water Gatorade Sara 4 3 4.5 2 Hayley 4 3 4 2 Christine 3.5 2 3 2 Grayson 4 3 4 4 Olivia 4 3 4 2 Samantha 4 2 4 3 Dajahnae 4 4 4 3 Britni 4 3.5 4 3 Anne 4 4 4 2

Data Analysis Before running the ratings for drinking Gatorade and water were similar. However, water made most of us feel better after running compared to Gatorade. The majority of us rated higher after drinking water than after Gatorade. Gatorade only made one of us feel the same after running while the rest of us rated lower after drinking Gatorade.

Conclusion In conclusion, we can presume that Gatorade is not better for athletes than water. Our hypothesis was falsified through our experiment. In 6 out of 9 trials, the athletes felt better after drinking water. In 1 out of 9 trials, the athlete felt the same after drinking Gatorade and Water. Lastly, in 2 out of the 9 trials, the athlete felt better after drinking Gatorade. These results prove that Gatorade is not better for athletes than water. In many of these situations, it depended on the individual s preference. In the future, we would recommend trying this experiment yourself, so that you find your own preference and may receive the best exercise you possibly can!

Communication of Results Fun Facts About Gatorade! Gatorade is the official sports drink of the NBA, AVP, PGA, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and countless other sports associations. Since 2010, over 25 flavors of Gatorade have been discontinued for lack of consumer interest. The most popular flavors include Original, Fruit Punch, and Orange. Gatorade Dunking was created in 1984 by Jim Burt, who was angered by the New York Giants football coach, Bill Parcells. Since then, it has become a celebratory tradition, especially after team victories. Gatorade is not only a symbol of football teams, but also racecar drivers. In-car drinking systems allow drivers to withstand up to 130-degree temperatures.

H O H Communication of Results Fun Facts About Water! The Earth is in a closed system, meaning it does not gain or lose matter- the water we drink and use has been around for millions of years. An adult body is made up of about 70% water. When a person feels thirst, 1% of his or her total water amount has already been lost. An infant s body is made up of 80% water. Drinking water helps Hydrate skin Prevent headaches Decrease joint wear Regulate metabolism and appetite Flush out bacteria and waste Decrease risk of colon, bladder, and breast cancer Regulate the circulatory system Aid digestion

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