Gatorade addresses disparities in how women hydrate
Additional research underway expanding into various life stages
The saying goes men are from Mars and women are from Venus to show the differences between the two. Although this might be to highlight variances in thoughts and actions, research shows the differences also can be seen when it comes to hydration needs.
The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), Gatorade’s research arm with four decades of experience in hydration, nutrition and human performance, recently presented findings from its first “Body of Science” study, highlighting several disparities in how women hydrate and fuel their bodies.
Hundreds of women across sports and activities 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, GSSI notes.
To help close that gap, GSSI established new, more precise categories for female sweat rates, providing a benchmark for future research, it says.
Key findings from the study, presented at the American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting on July 26, 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.
- 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.
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. Additionally, GSSI notes that current research underway expands into life stages, including pre-menopause, perimenopause and menopause.
“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.”
Going forward, as more beverage-makers recognize the disparities in women’s health and nutrition, it will be interesting to see how brands begin to address such challenges through innovation.
For detailed insights into the impact women’s health is having on beverages, check out our New Product Development Supplement Report in this issue.
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