Energy Drinks & Gatorade: Electrolytes, Risks & Benefits

Sports and energy drinks provide essential electrolytes for workouts but carry risks like increased heart rate. Understanding the ingredients in Gatorade, Red Bull, and Monster helps in selecting the safest energy boost.

close-up of a young man drinking sport drink

What Are the Benefits of Gatorade?

Published Jul,08 2011 | By Hannah Wickford

Gatorade had its beginnings in 1965 at the University of Florida, home of the Gators sports teams. Athletes at the school continually battled dehydration in the Florida heat, and researchers tackled the problem by combining water, carbohydrates and electrolytes to solve the problem.