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Hoping to quench our thirst for knowledge, we headed straight to the official Gatorade web site. We weren't sure we'd find the answer to the question, but we figured they would at least mention something about the electrolytes that sports drinks purport to replenish. Whenever we're looking at the official web site for a consumer product, we immediately look for the FAQ section, our favorite resource. The layout of the page was less than intuitive, so we tried another of our favorite tricks to find the answer. We held down the Ctrl and F keys on our keyboard to find the word "electrolyte" on the page. The search took us to Question #19, which asks, "Why is Gatorade better than water?"
The answer explains that Gatorade is mostly composed of carbohydrates, minerals, and water. It goes on to explain that plain water will not replace the electrolytes (sodium and potassium) that the body loses through sweat, and that Gatorade replaces both. In addition, sodium allows the body to retain fluid better after it has been consumed. At HowStuffWorks, we learned that an electrolyte is basically a salt that can carry an electrical charge. The cells of your body rely on electrolytes to carry the electrical impulses responsible for muscle contractions and nerve impulses to other cells. Without electrolytes, your body cells couldn't communicate efficiently. We wanted to find an objective opinion on whether sports
drinks are, in fact, better than water when exercising. An article on the WebMD site suggests that for exercise lasting longer than 60 to 90 minutes, athletes should drink a carbohydrate and salt replacement fluid like Gatorade. However, another article, posted on the Colorado State University web site, states that for most people, water is the best beverage to drink. It adds, "Replenishing the body's electrolytes, which is a major selling point of sports drinks, is less important than the ads would have you believe." Sodium and potassium are important, but both are plentiful in the American diet. Their conclusion? Sports drinks are only beneficial
for those hard-core athletes who participate in long endurance events.
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