Gatorade Makes Major Investment in Women’s Health

May 4, 2026

The sports drink giant is partnering with Venus Williams and leaning into scientific research to close long-standing gaps in women’s sports science, the latest move in Gatorade’s recent brand evolution.

Gatorade is going all-in on women’s health, pushing forward a new performance-driven scientific initiative.

The legacy hydration brand is partnering with tennis star Venus Williams, who will serve as ambassador for “Body of Science,” a multiyear global research commitment to advance the science of women’s hydration and nutrition.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), the brand’s research arm with four decades of expertise in human performance, is taking a swing at the vast research gap in women’s health and sports, with men disproportionately making up the majority of study participants historically — a 2021 study found that only 6% of global sports science research focuses exclusively on women.

GSSI will study women’s needs across key life stages and critical health events, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and perimenopause. Already, 500 women have participated in early research.

The work aims to address the 65 million women who report feeling that dehydration impacts their overall health, mood, focus and energy, according to a March 2026 study from market research firm Murphy Research. Athletech News