Gatorade, the sports drink that started an industry, was invented at the UF College of Medicine by a team of researchers led by Dr. Robert Cade. Gatorade was first field tested in a football scrimmage near this site and was first used in an October 1965 Gator victory.
The invention was prompted by concern about the effects of heat on the human body. After collecting fluid samples from UF football players, Cade and his colleagues realized the players’ electrolytes were out of balance, and their blood sugar and total blood volume was low. They developed a drink containing salts and sugars that quickly replaced lost nutrients and improved performance. The product soon attracted international attention and is used by athletes worldwide.
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