The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) recently launched Body of Science, a new initiative that aims to address the gender gap in hydration and nutrition research.
According to GSSI, only 6 percent of existing sports science research focuses on women. This has caused a critical knowledge gap that leaves women without science-backed answers about what their bodies actually need. Over the next several years, researchers at GSSI will study women’s hydration needs across life stages and critical moments, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause.
“For over four decades, GSSI has been committed to understanding hydration and nutrition science,” said Kimberly Stein, senior principal scientist at GSSI. “‘Body of Science’ represents a pivotal evolution of that mission — one that acknowledges and addresses a critical gap in research. By conducting and publishing peer-reviewed studies on women’s unique hydration and nutrition needs across life stages, we’re not just advancing the science; we’re establishing a new standard. This research will empower women to perform at their best, inside and outside of sport, and navigate their bodies with evidence-based knowledge and solutions, not assumptions.”