Gatorade and Headaches

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Alix

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OK, I just tested something out that I read a little while ago and it worked. I read that if you drink 500ml of Gatorade (or another electrolyte balancer/sport drink thing) when you have a headache that will get rid of it so you don't need to take any analgesics.

I tried it, it worked.

I have also read that similar amounts of water will do the trick. I've tried that as well, but with no success. I drink a LOT of water most of the time anyway so I wasn't sure if there would be a difference with the Gatorade. For me anyway, it worked.
 
Alix said:
OK, I just tested something out that I read a little while ago and it worked. I read that if you drink 500ml of Gatorade (or another electrolyte balancer/sport drink thing) when you have a headache that will get rid of it so you don't need to take any analgesics.

I tried it, it worked.

I have also read that similar amounts of water will do the trick. I've tried that as well, but with no success. I drink a LOT of water most of the time anyway so I wasn't sure if there would be a difference with the Gatorade. For me anyway, it worked.

Sounds like a job for MythBusters, Alix!
From what I understand, one of the reasons headaches happen is that essential electrolytes/minerals, etc., get flushed out of the system ( often after sporting activity), thus creating headache.
I do know that Gatorade gives me dreadful acidity!
 
I believe that that would actually work Alix. We do not treat our bodies to their required nutrients every day and after awhile I think we react. It makes perfect sense to me!
 
cliveb said:
I do know that Gatorade gives me dreadful acidity!

Yea, that's a whole new problem! lol I was thirsty one time and my son made some Tang - I drank A LOT OF TANG and found out just how bad my acid reflux was :sick: (sorry, I know this is off-topic - but what you drink doesn't have to be acidic - I get acid reflux from water if I don't take my medicine)
 
Oooooooooo! I love Mythbusters. How the heck would they be able to test this one though? They couldn't set fire to, or blow anything up?!
 
The last time I had gatorade was years ago. Somewhat a long story, but I will try to make it short.

I was at camp with a broken leg in a cast. I was sick of being cooped up so I decided to (carefully) go sailing with some friends. I had this rubber thing that went over the cast so I could shower. I put that on and out we went. Our boat capsized and I was floating in the water for hours in the strong summer sun. When we finally got to shore I made it to my bed and collapsed. My cast was soaked through and was about as strong as cardboard. I felt myself slipping into nowhere. A friend noticed I was not right and got the nurse. Turns out I was having a heat stroke. One of the things she did for my was get as much fluid into my body as possible. The way she did that was take bottles of gaitorade and load them up with salt and force me to drink them. To this day I can not drink the stuff without tasting massive salt.

I would rather have the headache now then drink that stuff :LOL:
 
I guess it would work if your headache is caused by dehydration.

I drink gatorade all the time! Still have headaches ...
 
Oh gross GB. I don't much care for Gatorade either but I thought I'd give it a go to see if it worked. I would rather scarf some than take pills. Maybe not if I had been in your shoes...er...cast though.
 
Thanks Alix for the info. I drink a lot of Gatorade and I will definitely try it when I get a headache.

I hope you have a wonderful day.
 
actualy drinking plain water when dehydrated isn`t ideal, similarly drinking too much water when "ok" also isn`t ideal.
it`s all to do with Ions, Sodium and Potassium pumps on a molecular level in our cells, water With these ions is assimilated very quickly, as if it were our own blood.
Dillution of these elctrolytes with plain water is equaly unfortunate for the old Krebs Cycle.

so yes, any isotonic drink can elleviate headaches brought on by dehydration, it`s Not a myth :)
 
That is a good way to deal with a headache.
We were told that our city water supply contained so many chemicals that we could get dehydrated drinking it. We are told to supplement our thirst with bottled water.
 
Jenny, the theory behind this was that most headaches are caused by dehydration. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 80%. The article also mentioned that most of us are in a perpetual state of dehydration so that upping your fluids tends to alleviate symptoms. Having said that, it went on to suggest that gatorade or something similar would work faster as it has the benefit of balancing your electrolytes.

YT, on the nose!

Just wanted to post that I tried both the water and the Gatorade methods and only the Gatorade one works (for me!)
 
The key phrase being..."can possibly eliminate headaches brought on by dehydration" Stress being way up on the list of headache causes...maybe a glass or two of wine or scotch may be in order.
 
I have heard that most of us are perpetually dehydrated. I think I am, though I drink a lot of water at work.

I play a lot of tennis and racquetball, thus the taste for Gatorade, which I love.

I know people who swear by Pedialyte as a hangover cure!
 
Uncle Bob said:
The key phrase being..."can possibly eliminate headaches brought on by dehydration" Stress being way up on the list of headache causes...maybe a glass or two of wine or scotch may be in order.


:LOL: :LOL: Can't do that at 10AM, especially if you have carpool duty. Gatorade is a much less dangerous option.

Jenny, I've heard that about Pedialyte too.
 
:sick::sick: GB & Alix I totally agree. Gatorade is so salty to me that it makes me gag. Cannot even stand the smell of it!

For me, at the end of the day with one of "those" headaches a glass of bourbon on ice with a splash of plain water works miracles - by the time the first glass is gone the headache is too. :rolleyes:
 
I alternate drinking Gatorade & water during the summer while doing my intense barn & gardening chores.

If you're getting a headache while performing athletic activities, chances are you're dehydrated. While plain water will definitely work, Gatorade products do replenish salts & minerals that definitely might help relieve your headache faster.
 
jennyema said:
I have heard that most of us are perpetually dehydrated.
I have heard the same. As a matter of fact, any time you are thirsty, that is your body telling you that you are already dehydrated.
 

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