Gatorade
Gatorade
The world's most researched Energy Drink
Having had a long association with the "science of victory" and as the world's most researched energy drink, Gatorade had its beginnings in the early 1960s at the University of Florida.
Gatorade can be found on the sidelines of many sporting events and is even used on building sites down under!
If you have a physically demanding job (especially in the sun) or if you play a sport, you will know the relief that comes with taking Gatorade.
One can barely imagine a time in sport before Gatorade but in the 1960s, Ray Graves - coach for the Florida University's football team The Gators - spoke to the team doctor of his frustration over the performance of his players.
The team doctor happened to be an associate of Robert Cade, a medical researcher at the university and along with Dana Shires, Harry James Free, and Alejandro de Quesada the research team discovered why Gator players "wilt'.
The loss of fluid and electrolytes through sweat and the loss of carbohydrates for energy were the primary reasons as these were not being replaced during demanding physical exercise.
The team developed the first mixture of Gatorade containing sodium, sugar,potassium, phosphate and lemon juice and The Gators finished the season with unexpected wins over more highly fancied opponents.
Their next season was even better with the school winning the Orange Bowl for the first time ever in 1967.
As The Gators gave the credit to Gatorade, the word soon spread beyond the State of Florida and other college football teams began to adopt Gatorade. In fact, not using Gatorade was likened to playing with only 10 men on the field.
It wasn't long before Gatorade entered the NFL and again, Ray Graves, The Gators coach played a part.
In 1969, he persuaded the Kansas City Chiefs to use Gatorade during their training camps in the hot Missouri sun. They ended up keeping it on their sidelines for the rest of the season and against the odds, beat the Minnesota Vikings at Super Bowl IV.
More and more NFL teams adopted Gatorade and in 1983, it became the official drink of the NFL.
Gatorade has continued to spread as an energy drink and is now used in many more sporting codes including the NBA and PGA.
The Gatorade Sports Science Institute was established in 1988. Situated in Barrington, Illinois, the GSSI is at the forefront of sport's research and it's stated mission is " to share current information and expand knowledge on sports nutrition and exercise science that enhance the performance and well-being of athletes. "
The Institutes website can be found here.
The Gatorade website can be found here.
