Is it in you? Have you ever wondered if Gatorade really gives you a competitive edge over H2O (water) in an athletic event or while training? I’ve seen countless commercials and have always pondered the thought; can this sports drink really give you the edge you need? I mean, professional athletes from Michel Jordan to Tiger Woods have endorsed this drink and given it the reputation is has today. I myself was a believer that water was better than Gatorade until I wrote this paper. Now I believe that Gatorade has far more nutritional value than water, because it provides essential minerals, carbohydrates and electrolytes.
Early summer, about forty-eight years ago in 1965, University of Florida assistant football coach, Dwayne Douglas, sat down and wondered why so many of his players were suffering from heat strokes and heat related illnesses during games or practice. So, he went to the university physicians and asked them to determine why this was happening. Not long after it was discovered that two key factors were causing the Florida Gator players to suffer from these conditions: the fluids and electrolytes the players were losing during the events were not being put back into the body, and the massive amounts of carbohydrates the players' bodies used for energy were not being replenished. So, he decided to create Gatorade. There are plenty of Gurus out there who will sit and tell you that water is natural and it’s the best thing you could ever put into your body, but let’s get real I’ll take scientifically proven research over someone’s “word” any day. (Rovell 58)
So, this begs the question, what is Gatorade? Gatorade is the name of a popular sports drink that is often consumed and endorsed by athletes who are taki...
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...ction correctly. To help replace the electrolytes that are sweated out, Gatorade's recipe includes a carefully balanced mixture of these same electrolytes to keep the body hydrated and working properly. This is essential in environments where the body is pushed to its limits athletically.
Through this evidence, Gatorade is the most essential drink on the planet when it comes to revitalizing and replenishing the body. This is why top athletes in professional sports endorse and use this produce. The commercial for Gatorade ask “Is it in you?” Gatorade and other numerous sports drinks have become a very important part of today’s sports market, and it seems to be with good reason. Research has confirmed that for the most part, the claims made by companies such as Gatorade about the effectiveness of their sports drinks are true. Gatorade is a useful sports drink.
Gatorade is one of many sports drinks that is out in the market. It was first made back in 1956 by a group of scientists in the University of Florida. The main reason Gatorade was made in the first place was to help the athletes of the university by replacing the body fluids that they lost during competitions especially in the hot weather of southern Florida. In a competition athletes lose water, carbohydrates and electrolytes through lots of sweating so Gatorade’s first priority was to replace them and re-energize the athletes. The first ever bottles of Gatorade that were created did not contain as much ingredients as todays Gatorades, and at first 10 players from the University’s Football team tested the drinks. It didn’t take long for the effects to show and the team quickly started to win their games. After the team’s results started to get better, Gatorade gained lots of attention from around the athletic community and after a few short years it was the official drink of the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, AVP, and the MLS. After all the l success, it was bought by Pepsi Company in 2001. This meant that it would no longer distribute its products to only the USA and Canada, but to the entire world and since then Gatorade products have been sent to almost 80 different countries. But the big question now, is that does it really help athletes? Was this the reason behind all the success of the Florida Gators through the 60’s?
Fink, Heather Hedrick., Alan E. Mikesky, and Lisa A. Burgoon. (2012). Practical Applications in Sports Nutrition,3rd edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
To find the answer we performed an experiment. We decided to put the drinks to the test by exercising, and then seeing how well we shoot 10 free throws. But after we exercised we drank either Powerade or Gatorade. We would then collect data, analyze it, and ultimately find out which drink is more effective. When I finished working out on Day 1, I drank Gatorade. I made 8/10. On Day 2, I drank Powerade after exercising and shot 7/10. And since the results were very similar I decided I would exercise and shoot 10 more on Day 3. But instead of drinking a sports drink I just drank water. I made 7/10. This data was very interesting. It shows Gatorade improved performance more, but nothing really stood out. So unless you plan on running a marathon or other strenuous athletic tasks, it will not really matter if you drink Powerade or Gatorade. Our experiment even showed, no matter how many fancy sports drinks come out, water is always a very reliable option when it comes to regaining lost
Kuhn, C., Swartzwelder, S., and Wilson, W. Pumped: Straight Facts for Athletes about Drugs, Supplements, and Training. 2000. W.W. Norton, New York and London.
In 2003, Palmer Jackson, Inc. created a new line of sports beverage called Green Ox. This beverage has some differences from other similar beverages, as it contains the benefits of antioxidants and it can compete in more than one category, such as sports drinks, vegetable juices, and antioxidant supplements. These are not the only advantages of Green Ox, because some reputable reports argue there is a strong link between using the vitamins and minerals that Green Ox has to reduce the risk of some specific types of cancers, and Green Ox will launch on a type of market that is growing to 15% per year. In order to ensure the success for Green Ox, the company has contracted with Marketing Studies Incorporated (MSI) to study the market and do some important researches. However, Palmer Jackson, Inc. faced one of the challenges that has been common when companies prepare to launch new products on the market. First, the company needed to determine the target audience, especially as we know the large variety of people who deal with this kind of product. Second, the company needed to think thoroughly about how it could position Green Ox with its benefits on consumers’ minds, as Green Ox has the capacity to compete in three different
Caffeine has many specific benefits for different types of athletes. Though much of the research on caffeine in athletics is inconclusive, there are many athletes that believe the substance can enhance their physical as well as mental performance. It is supposed that caffeine can improve the athlete’s endurance in sports where long-term stamina is needed. These sports include cycling, running, and even soccer. In an experiment to study the effects of caffeine as an ergogenic aid, 6 regular caffeine users were monitored while they exercised until exhaustion. During this double ...
After PDB acquired Crescent Pure in July of 2013, its management team was faced with a decision when discussing how the product was to be marketed -- some felt that the drink’s energizing ingredients would make it a better fit as an energy drink, while others felt that its hydrating elements would make it a better fit as a sports drink (Quelch, Zalsoh 2014). Crescent Pure was founded in 2008, as founder Peter Hooper wanted “a drink that would refresh, energize and enhance mental focus” (pg 2). However, Crescent Pure will be PDB’s first entry in the U.S., sports and/or energy beverage markets; therefore, in discussing the
Ever since 1965 Gatorade has been one of the top selling energy drinks in America. Gatorade has come a long way since its start and is now the official drink of several professional sport leagues. The company brings in over three billion dollars worth of revenue every year mostly due to their skill in advertising which is a crucial part of a company of such magnitude and Gatorade is known for their persuasive commercials. In the commercial chosen, several stellar professional athletes give the viewers details of some of their greatest failures. This caused each of them to work harder and become the athlete they are today by training harder and making them more determined. The Gatorade commercial that was chosen is a very effective ad because
Water makes up 75% of human body. It is the most important ingredient in our bodies. Today many people ignore drinking water and concentrate more into the carbonated drinks. One of the main reasons I would think people drink more carbonated drinks (such as sodas and sport drinks) is because of the way a company hype up their products and use their marketing strategies to influence people into buying them. Many benefits come out of drinking water. First, it quenches one’s thirst much better than any carbonated drinks. Second, it keeps one’s skin clear and healthy looking. In addition, it protects the human body from several diseases. Many people choose drinking sodas and sports drinks than water because water does not have much of a taste and carbonated drinks are flavored and tasteful. I guess I am one of those people who has being caught on to the hype of the soda companies. I do not really drink much water I would say I barely drink two cups a day, but I know the how good water is for my body. So I am modifying my behavior by adding more water to my diet.
In 2002, a group of Australian researchers published a paper entitled the "Effect of different protocols of caffeine intake on metabolism and endurance performance". Caffeine use during sporting events has become much more popular and has widely studied. The purpose of the research was to examine the work increasing (ergogenic) effects of differing regiments of caffeine on metabolism and performance while simulating the typical nutritional preparation an athlete would do for a race. The study also sought to examine the effect of timing of caffeine intake, comparing results when caffeine was given before an event (precaf) to results from caffeine given during an event (durcaf). In addition, the researchers wanted to understand the practice of endurance athletes drinking defizzed Coca-Cola towards the end of a race. It was widely observed that many triathletes and marathoners feel they derive a boost from consuming Coca-Cola in the final stages of an event as a replacement to sports drinks.
Zmuda, Natalie. "What's a Sport? Gatorade Redefines to Broaden Target." Advertising Age News RSS. AdAge.com, 12 Apr. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Companies utilize different marketing strategies to appeal to their target audience. The methods they use to market their products usually reflects the target audience’s preferences or needs. Gatorade was invented at the University of Florida in 1965 by a team of researchers. They discovered nutrients were not being replenished when the school’s football team competed and formulated a solution to the problem. Today Gatorade primarily targets athletic or physically active individuals, especially professional athletes. Over time, Gatorade has become one of the most popular and leading sports drink companies in the world. Many people recognize what Gatorade is and what they do to help individuals who need the extra replenishment so they can continue
Competition also presents itself in original sports drinks, such as Gatorade (Pepsi) and Powerade (Coca Cola). Furthermore, premixed alcoholic drinks like the Smirnoff range form part of the competition.
Hydration with water and other water-based liquids is critical for survival and functioning of the body’s organs. Water is 60% of the total human body composition. Water is involved in the function of temperature regulation, elimination of waste and secretion, digestion, and is 80% of blood composition. Deborah Boardly, assistant professor of health promotion and human performance at the University of Ohio in Toledo says, "I truly believe that dehydration (insufficient body fluids) may be the number one nutrition problem for athletes—and, possibly, people in general." Boardly goes on to say, "Today we have all these concerns about everything we should and shouldn’t eat—and yet here is this absolutely fundamental substance and it is grossly overlooked."(http://www.tdo.com/features/health/stories/0803/)
“The term energy drink refers to a beverage that contains caffeine in a combination with other ingredients such as taurine, guarana, and B vitamins, and that