Let Them Drink Gatorade

According to Darren Rovell, the author of the "First in Thirst" book on the history of Gatorade, only one percent of Gatorade drinkers exercise long enough for the drink to help performance.

"It doesn't work for what a lot of people think it does," Rovell writes. "You have to exercise 60 to 90 minutes for it to help your performance [more than water would]. That is less than one percent of the people."

Ever have that Gatorade fantasy when you're going dry in the third hour of a workout? I'm impressed with the new Gatorade Endurance Formula, which only tastes good during and after a long workout. Whatever it is about that "five-electrolyte blend" - including nearly twice the sodium (200 mg) and three times the potassium (90 mg) of Gatorade along with chloride, calcium and magnesium - really works. But I have no taste for it unless I'm working out.