Leading sports hydration and electrolyte drink brand aims to sweat test 100 professional hockey players to establish female-specific performance hydration standards
Gatorade, Canada's leading sports hydration and electrolyte drink brand, and its research and development arm, Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), today announced a landmark initiative which aims to sweat test 100 Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) players and help establish comprehensive female hydration data across the sport. This first-of-its-kind research study for GSSI and Gatorade in Canada will set the record for most hockey players sweat tested in one initiative, addressing critical gaps in sports nutrition science for female athletes.
Understanding the sports science gap for female athletes
While women are making history on the ice, the science of athletic performance hasn't kept up - until now. Research shows that as few as 6% of sports science studies include female physiology¹, leaving female athletes to train with hydration and nutrition data derived from male studies. This creates a significant performance gap, as women may have different sweat rates, electrolyte loss patterns, and fluid replacement needs compared to male athletes.
The groundbreaking research is part of a broader GSSI initiative that will include hundreds of athletes across multiple sports - basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and hockey - spanning various regions and demographics by 2026. The goal is to establish evidence-based hydration data specifically designed for female athletes at all competitive levels.
What is sweat testing and why it matters for athletic performance
Sweat testing is a scientific process that measures an athlete's individual fluid loss, sweat rate, and electrolyte composition during training or competition. This personalized hydration data helps athletes understand their specific needs for optimal performance. For hockey players, proper hydration with carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions has been shown to maintain on-ice speed, reduce turnovers, and improve pass completion rates2.
Led by Dr. Lawrence Spriet, University Professor Emeritus (Human Health Sciences) at the University of Guelph and one of North America's top exercise physiologists, the comprehensive sweat study will include players from all four Canadian PWHL teams: the Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge, Montreal Victoire, and Vancouver's newest franchise.
"Female hockey players may have different sweat rates, sweat sodium concentrations, and fluid/electrolyte loss patterns than male players," explained Dr. Spriet. "We're giving each player personalized data to help fuel their best performance. You wouldn't compete with unsharpened skates or a stick you aren't happy with, so why compete without understanding your specific hydration needs?"
How the research will measure hydration needs
The study measures multiple key hydration indicators including individual on-ice sweat rates, fluid consumption patterns, sweat composition, electrolyte replacement needs, and carbohydrate intake requirements. These benchmarks will serve as the gold standard for female athlete hydration at all levels, from competitive youth programs to professional leagues.
Through this research, the data will develop new hydration and nutrition education specifically for female hockey players, providing unprecedented insight into their individual fluid and electrolyte needs compared to league peers.
"I've been fortunate to be sweat tested before, so I understand firsthand how valuable personalized hydration data is for performance," said Marie-Philip Poulin, Captain of the Montreal Victoire and Gatorade athlete since 2015. "This study marks a turning point. Insights like these will empower young players to truly understand how to hydrate their unique bodies and ultimately help elevate their game from day one."
The importance of proper hydration for hockey players
Hockey is a high-intensity sport that requires explosive power, sustained endurance, and rapid decision-making throughout gameplay. Dehydration can impair cognitive function, reduce muscle performance, and slow reaction times3 - all critical factors in competitive hockey. Electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium, play essential roles in muscle contraction, nerve function, and fluid balance4. When athletes lose electrolytes through sweat, replacing them with sports drinks like Gatorade helps maintain performance and prevent cramping.
Supporting the past, present and future of women's hockey
The initiative launches alongside Gatorade's new "Made By It" campaign - a tribute to the grit and determination that built professional women's hockey. Building on the iconic "Is It In You?" platform, the campaign celebrates the inner drive behind a league that now draws over one million fans annually and continues to sell out arenas across Canada.
Central to the campaign is a 30-second anthem featuring Poulin, recipient of the 2025 PWHL Forward of the Year and Billie Jean King Award, alongside Sarah Fillier, Forward for the New York Sirens and 2025 PWHL Rookie of the Year. The campaign also includes custom team Gx bottles and arena activations throughout the 2025 season.
"This isn't just about supporting where hockey is today - it's about recognizing what it took to get here, and how we are shaping its future," said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. "By celebrating the sweat, sacrifice, and drive that built the PWHL, Gatorade is setting a new benchmark for investment in women's sports that goes beyond sponsorship, all while inspiring the next generation."
Gatorade's commitment to women's hockey in Canada
The brand's partnership with Canadian women's hockey began in 2015 when Poulin and Hayley Wickenheiser became the first female players signed to its elite roster. Now entering the PWHL's third season, Gatorade continues to provide product, sports science resources, nutritional guidance, and visibility to players league-wide. The company's research through GSSI has helped thousands of athletes optimize their hydration strategies for improved performance and recovery.
Gatorade products, which contain carbohydrates for energy and electrolytes for hydration, are available in Canada at major retailers nationwide.
About the Gatorade Sports Science Institute
The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) is committed to helping athletes optimize their health and performance through research and education in hydration and sports nutrition science. Since 1985, GSSI has been at the forefront of sports science research, working with elite athletes and teams worldwide to advance understanding of athletic performance, hydration strategies, and recovery protocols. GSSI scientists conduct peer-reviewed research and provide evidence-based recommendations for athletes at all levels.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the centre of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.ca, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
¹ Source: Cowley, E. S., Olenick, A. A., McNulty, K. L., & Ross, E. Z. (2021). "Invisible Sportswomen": The Sex Data Gap in Sport and Exercise Science Research. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 29(2), 146-151
2 Source: Linseman ME, Palmer MS, Sprenger HM, Spriet LL. Maintaining hydration with a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution improves performance, thermoregulation, and fatigue during an ice hockey scrimmage. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2014 Nov;39(11):1214-21. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2014-0091.
3 McDermott, B.P., S.A. Anderson, L.E. Armstrong, D.J. Casa, S.N. Cheuvront, L. Cooper, W.L. Kenney, F.G. O'Connor, and W.O. Roberts (2017). National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: fluid replacement for the physically active. J. Athl. Train. 52:877-895.
4 Baker LB, Jeukendrup AE. Optimal composition of fluid-replacement beverages. Compr Physiol. 2014 Apr;4(2):575-620. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c130014. PMID: 24715561.