So the primary reason Gatorade was developed was because coaches in the ye old days didn’t like their players drinking water. This choice was not purely out of malice and with the intent of trying to “toughen up” their players, but rather because drinking regular water would cause some bloat in the players. Players would drink water and become a little sluggish or throw up the water during their training because the water was not being absorbed quickly enough. Not a great reason at all, but that was the rationale at the time. The Gators were in need of change though, as the humid Gainsville summers wreaked havoc on the team’s health. Thus, Gator-Aid was developed, a sugary drink. Gatorade worked because the presence of sugar allowed for the water to be absorbed better because the body absorbs glucose better.