Category Archives: Nutrition

Gatorade Inventor Dies at 80

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I interrupt the regularly planned posting schedule for this breaking announcement.

Dr. James Robert Cade died Tuesday of kidney failure, according to ESPN.  Cade was the inventor of the sports drink Gatorade.

Born James Robert Cade in San Antonio on Sept. 26, 1927, Cade, a Navy veteran, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Cade was appointed an assistant professor in internal medicine at UF [University of Florida] in 1961. He worked until he was 76, retiring in November 2004 from the university, where he taught medicine, saw patients and conducted research.

Cade and his wife, Mary, had six children.

Cade was the first kidney researcher at the University of Florida but is most well-known for researching and creating a re-hydration formula for the UF football team, which they credited for their 1967 Orange Bowl win.

Gatorade which first “tasted like toilet bowl cleaner,” and was vomited by Cade after tasting it, is now sold in 80 countries with 30 flavors available in the US and 50 around the world.  Gatorade has a market share of 81%.  Since 1973 royalties from each purchase of Gatorade have brought $150 million to the University of Florida.  So it could also be called Gator – aid!

Cade was named MIT‘s Inventor of the Week in May 2004.  And at that time was working

… as a professor of medicine and physiology there [UF], conducting research on kidney and liver disease, diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses. He also studies Down syndrome, autism and certain types of schizophrenia and develops diets to help these patients improve or recover. In addition, Cade has developed products similar to Gatorade such as the Go Energy-Recovery Shake, which helps athletes recover more quickly after a workout.

Gatorade’s website made no mention of its founding researcher’s death as of this morning.

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Caffeine – A Banned Substance

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Since the 2000 Olympics, caffeine has been banned by the International Olympic Committee. The level that is banned is approximately 8 cups of coffee.  If the IOC found that much caffeine in your urine, they would assume that you are trying to gain a competitive advantage.

Does Caffeine Really Help?

Research is all over the place, but the majority seem to suggest that caffeine will not benefit athletes in the shorter distances or those with high intensity. But it can improve performance in an endurance event. Runner’s World published an article about a research study that contradicts that claim, as well as a study that supports it!

Personal differences in tolerance to caffeine, metabolism, diet, and others can have an impact on the benefit of caffeine use.  Doctors don’t recommend the use of caffeine to enhance performance. Caffeine is present in much more than coffee and Coke.  Most energy drinks, sports drinks, and energy bars contain some level of caffeine.  Ingested during a race it can also provide a needed boost to help you continue at your desired level of exertion.

How It Works

According to a Rice University professor, “Caffeine mobilizes fat stores and encourages working muscles to use fat as a fuel.  This delays the depletion of muscle glycogen and allows for the prolongation of exercise.”  To optimize this caffeine needs to be ingested early in an event or before-hand.  This prevents the body from switching to glycogen too early.

Caffeine may also impact the brain, making you feel that your level of exertion is lower than it actually is.  This will also allow you to push longer and harder. It may also help keep your muscles relaxed.

Nasty Side Effects

Caffeine does have some bad side effects including:

  • Sleep deprivation
  • Nausea
  • Cramping
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Stomach Instability
  • Muscle Tightness
  • Muscle Cramping
  • Dehydration
  • Diarrhea
  • May compound existing heart problems

Tips or Recommendations

  • Ingest Caffeine 3-4 hours before performance
  • Abstain for a few days before event, to improve caffeine effect
  • Make sure you have tested caffeine during training

Sources:

Do you drink coffee regularly?  Do you use it to “improve your performance”? What do you think about this topic?  Leave a note in the comments section.


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