Differences in Fluid Intake Post-Workout between Gatorade and Water
School Name
Chapin High School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Physiology and Health
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment is to test the question, “How does fluid intake differ in teens post-workout when they consume Gatorade versus water?” Most teens do not take in a sufficient amount of water post-workout based on fluid lost. Because of this, it was predicted that teens would consume more Gatorade than water post-workout in comparison to their fluid lost during exercise. Sodium and sugars within Gatorade make it more appealing to the palate, persuading teens to drink more Gatorade post-workout than water. To conduct this experiment, isolated workouts were required and measurements of each athlete’s weight before and after the workout were monitored. Every pound lost should be replaced with 16 to 20 ounces of fluid. With each test, an excess number of 8 ounce cups filled with water or Gatorade were present, depending on the experiment, and how many cups each athlete consumes of each liquid were monitored. Each athlete’s data was kept anonymous to avoid any insecurity over weight and keep the experiment controlled. The data collected supports this prediction, showing a rise in average fluid consumed per pound lost when hydrating with Gatorade rather than water. These measurements suggest that drinking Gatorade post-workout may keep teens at a lower risk of dehydration. Furthermore, the gap between water and Gatorade consumed post-workout is much more significant in the male test subjects than the females. This may be because teenage boys consume more sodium than any other demographic, nearly three times the recommended amount. Further research is planned on being conducted to verify this new hypothesis.
Recommended Citation
Lester, Jordan, "Differences in Fluid Intake Post-Workout between Gatorade and Water" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 169.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/169
Start Date
4-11-2015 11:15 AM
End Date
4-11-2015 11:30 AM
Differences in Fluid Intake Post-Workout between Gatorade and Water
The purpose of this experiment is to test the question, “How does fluid intake differ in teens post-workout when they consume Gatorade versus water?” Most teens do not take in a sufficient amount of water post-workout based on fluid lost. Because of this, it was predicted that teens would consume more Gatorade than water post-workout in comparison to their fluid lost during exercise. Sodium and sugars within Gatorade make it more appealing to the palate, persuading teens to drink more Gatorade post-workout than water. To conduct this experiment, isolated workouts were required and measurements of each athlete’s weight before and after the workout were monitored. Every pound lost should be replaced with 16 to 20 ounces of fluid. With each test, an excess number of 8 ounce cups filled with water or Gatorade were present, depending on the experiment, and how many cups each athlete consumes of each liquid were monitored. Each athlete’s data was kept anonymous to avoid any insecurity over weight and keep the experiment controlled. The data collected supports this prediction, showing a rise in average fluid consumed per pound lost when hydrating with Gatorade rather than water. These measurements suggest that drinking Gatorade post-workout may keep teens at a lower risk of dehydration. Furthermore, the gap between water and Gatorade consumed post-workout is much more significant in the male test subjects than the females. This may be because teenage boys consume more sodium than any other demographic, nearly three times the recommended amount. Further research is planned on being conducted to verify this new hypothesis.
