Thousands of Women Will Participate in Gatorade's "Body of Science" to Deliver New Research Findings and Dynamic Solutions for Women Inside and Outside of Sport
Key Takeaways:
- Only 6% of global sports science research focuses exclusively on women¹, leaving women without science-backed answers on what their bodies actually need.
- 65 million women report feeling that dehydration negatively impacts their overall health, mood, focus, and energy.2 Most lack science-backed guidance built for their bodies.
- Gatorade's "Body of Science" will study women's hydration and nutrition needs across all life stages inside and outside of sport — including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause. 500 women have already participated in early research.
- Venus Williams is the first ambassador for "Body of Science," ensuring that science designed for women becomes the standard, not the exception.
- Women across the U.S. can participate in "Body of Science" research through the GSSI Labs app and earn points-based gift card rewards on Gatorade.com.
CHICAGO, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Gatorade today unveiled "Body of Science," a multi-year global research commitment to advance the science of women's hydration and nutrition. The work will be led by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), the brand's research arm with four decades of expertise in human performance. GSSI will study women's needs across life stages and critical moments, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause, and 500 women have already participated in early research. The work will help assist the 65 million women who report feeling that dehydration impacts their overall health, mood, focus, and energy.²
In a world obsessed with women's bodies, we know surprisingly little about them. Only 6% of global sports science research focuses exclusively on women¹. That critical knowledge gap leaves women without science-backed answers about what their bodies actually need. Decades of research have assumed women's physiology mirrors men's. The result is science designed for half the population and applied to all of it.
Gatorade Sports Science Institute: Four Decades of Hydration and Nutrition Research
GSSI has conducted hydration and nutrition research on thousands of athletes. The institute has authored hundreds of peer-reviewed studies and shaped Gatorade product innovation across the portfolio. With "Body of Science," GSSI is applying that expertise to close the women's research gap.
"For over four decades, GSSI has been committed to understanding hydration and nutrition science," said Dr. Kimberly Stein, Senior Principal Scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. "'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."
Setting the Standard: Venus Williams as First Ambassador
Venus Williams will serve as the first ambassador for "Body of Science." The tennis champion, style icon, entrepreneur, and author joins Gatorade to advance the research and amplify the gap it is closing.
"This work is so important because it's not just about me, it's about the women who come after me," said Venus Williams. "For decades, we've pushed our bodies to the limit based on research designed for men. What excites me most is that with 'Body of Science', Gatorade is asking the right questions about hydration and nutrition and conducting the studies that will give women the knowledge we have been missing. I'm committed to championing this work alongside them."
A'ja Wilson and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who are featured in the launch film, join an incredible lineup of Gatorade roster athletes including Lisa Billard, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Diana Flores, Candace Parker, Mallory Swanson, JuJu Watkins and Sophia Wilson—a collective that has helped inspire the launch of this initiative to help close the research gap.
"Body of Science" is a continuation of Gatorade's Fuel Tomorrow platform, focused on fueling opportunities in sport and beyond. Women across the U.S. can participate in "Body of Science" research through the GSSI Labs app. Participants earn points-based gift card rewards on Gatorade.com. For more information, visit www.gatorade.com/body-of-science.
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: Murphy Research, Dehydration Claims Study, March 2026
About The Gatorade Portfolio
The Gatorade Portfolio, a division of PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), is a connected performance and wellness ecosystem built to fuel all athletes and exercisers. Bringing together Gatorade, Propel, Evolve and Muscle Milk, the Gatorade Portfolio is the most complete offering in the category today, with a broad range of personalized solutions at every stage of the active person's journey. This integrated system of brands is built on Gatorade's 61-year history of studying athletes and is fueling the future of athletic performance and wellness by delivering solutions across hydration, protein, energy and all-day nutrition to fuel consumers, no matter how or why they sweat. For more information and a full list of product offerings, please visit www.gatorade.com.
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 $94 billion in net revenue in 2025, 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 drinks, 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 places sustainability at the center of our business strategy, seeking to drive growth and build a stronger, more resilient future for PepsiCo and the communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
Contact: Maya Savino, maya.savino@omc.com
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