“Body of Science” is part of Gatorade's multi-year, global commitment to help close the gap in women's hydration science research. The findings will be presented at the American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting on July 26.

Hundreds of women across sports and activities, including basketball, soccer and ice hockey, among others, participated in the study, which examined how female bodies sweat and how hydrated women are before exercise. It also assessed how well women meet fueling recommendations — topics that have historically been understudied. To help close that gap, GSSI established new, more precise categories for female sweat rates, providing a benchmark for future research, it says. Current research underway expands into life stages, including pre-menopause, perimenopause and menopause.

For decades, women have fueled their bodies based on science research conducted on men, GSSI notes. The first “Body of Science” study reveals where that gap shows up in practice. 

Key findings being presented to the scientific audience include:

•    Nearly half (43%) of participants arrived at workouts already dehydrated, indicating a hydration deficit even before exercise.

•    Despite drinking adequate fluid, participants replaced only 20% of sodium electrolyte losses on average during activity. GSSI recommends replacing close to 50% of the sodium lost.

•    Basketball athletes experienced the highest sodium losses of any sport measured. Inadequate sodium replacement can lead to muscle cramping, fatigue, and impaired performance.

•    57% of participants under-fueled with carbohydrates during workouts, and half consumed none at all. GSSI recommends 30-60 grams of carbohydrates an hour to support performance and energy during active occasions.

Although women, on average, have lower sweat rates than men, the research found significant differences from one woman to another, reinforcing that hydration guidance should be tailored to the individual rather than based on broad assumptions.

Insights from the “Body of Science” research are already being applied in real life situations to improve how Gatorade evaluates and personalizes hydration guidance for female athletes, it says. Ongoing studies and the GSSI Labs app will continue uncovering unmet needs to help shape future hydration solutions for women, it adds.

GSSI is a cornerstone of Gatorade and for more than four decades, the institute has conducted hydration and nutrition research on thousands of athletes. The team of scientists at GSSI have authored hundreds of peer-reviewed studies and powered Gatorade product innovation across the portfolio, and the work continues with “Body of Science,” it notes.

“The data from our first ‘Body of Science study is clear ― these aren’t small gaps between what women’s bodies need and how they’re fueling. They’re the difference between feeling your best and unknowingly falling short,” said Dr. Kimberly Stein, PhD, senior principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, in a statement. “Being armed with this data will help us conduct deeper, more targeted research in future 'Body of Science' work.”

GSSI’s research is expanding to study women across life stages, including pre-menopause, perimenopause and menopause. More than 500 women have already joined this early research.

Women of all activity levels can join ongoing research through the GSSI Labs app. The app’s “Female Athlete Hydration Survey” invites women across the United States to help close longstanding research gaps. Participation earns points-based gift card rewards redeemable on Gatorade.com.