Fact or Fiction

In order to work out and be physically active, athletes must stay hydrated. \nAthletes might have a preference about what they drink during their workouts: Gatorade or water. The decision can be a difficult one.\nGatorade was produced in a lab for the University of Florida Gators in 1965, according to the Gatorade Web site. It was created in order to replenish athletes with electrolytes they were losing while sweating. Electrolytes are "the ions that are supposedly reabsorbed back into the body before sweat is released," said Joel Stager, physiology professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. \n"We get so much salt in our diet that this isn't an issue unless you are an athlete who sweats a lot and often," he said. According to the Gatorade Web site, it helps "refill" the body's supply of sodium, potassium and chloride -- electrolytes the body needs to stay active. \nWhile working out, athletes also drink bottled water. Sophomores Nina Mazkoori and Jodi Campbell said they prefer water when they work out over "sugary" sports drinks. \n"I prefer water because I don't like sweetness of Gatorade, and it doesn't quench my thirst," Campbell said. \nMazkoori said she doesn't like the taste of Gatorade.\n"Water cools you down faster," Mazkoori said.\nStager said the answer to the question of whether Gatorade or water is better for athletes depends on the activity the athlete is doing while drinking the beverage. \n"The science suggests that Gatorade is statistically better, but you'd have to conclude it probably isn't biologically importantly better at replacement of fluids following exercise," Stager said. "If time isn't an issue, then Gatorade isn't really any better than water."\nAdam Ahlfeld, a junior guard on the IU men's basketball team, said he likes to drink both Gatorade and water. \n"Personally, I like water before and during practice or games and Gatorade after. I think water is more hydrating because it doesn't have anything extra in it, like the sugar and other ingredients that Gatorade has," Ahlfeld said. "Since our bodies are made up of mostly water, I think it makes the most sense to drink that before and during competition, while something like Gatorade or any other sports drink would be better after competing"