Keeping hydrated is one of the most important aspects of physical activity. In Clinics of Sports Medicine, it explains that “Maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance is important to support cognitive and physical performance. Dehydration degrades morale and the desire to work. Body water deficits of as little as 2% of body weight can impair physical performance. Water deficits of 5% to 7% of body weight are associated with headaches, dizziness and apathy” (Latzka, Montain 1). To prevent dehydration and its effects, a medical team created Gatorade for the University of Florida football team in 1965. Since then, there has been a large market for drinks to hydrate athletes and improve performance. In Sports and Energy Drinks: Answers for Fitness Professionals, it explains that the three main goals of sports drinks since they were created 40 years ago are to prevent dehydration, replace electrolytes in sweat, and provide carbohydrates for use during exercise ( Kravitz, Mayo par.2-4). Do these sports drinks actually improve performance and hydrate better than water? Both sports drinks and water have advantages and disadvantages in how well they are absorbed, what minerals they contain, their ability to boost energy, and how good they taste. Water is great for hydration and moves quickly through your bloodstream, but without the necessary sodium, it isn't absorbed by working muscles and sports drinks. Tomorrow's Beverages Today states that: “Drink a sports drink while running, and its vital fluids will get to your working muscles more quickly than if you drank the same amount of plain water. That's because most sports drinks contain between 4 and 8 percent carbohydrates plus small amounts of sodium, which is... half the paper... Medicine. Natick, Massachusetts, United States: Sports Medicine Clinics, 1999. MD Consult. Network. March 22, 2012. .Levin-Epstein, Amy. “Sports drinks vs. water.” Men's Fitness Magazine 2010. Web. March 22, 2012. .Ward, MS, RD, Elizabeth M. "Sports Drinks: The Facts." Men's Fitness 2010. Web. March 22, 2012. .Zelman, Kathleen M. "Drink for Sports and Fitness." Health and fitness. WebMD Weight Loss Clinic. WebMD, 2012. Web. March 22. 2012. .