Happy birthday, Gatorade

Fifty years ago, a College of Medicine professor and his research fellows undertook a new research problem. A coach on the football team wanted to know why players kept getting sick and never urinated during practice or play. Their research uncovered that players were losing electrolytes as well as water and led the scientists to develop what has become a multibillion-dollar industry and UF icon — Gatorade. Over the next few issues, we will honor the work of J. Robert Cade, M.D., and his research fellows Dana Shires, M.D., James Free, M.D., and Alejandro de Quesada, M.D., and celebrate Gatorade’s contributions to UF Health and to research. Photos courtesy of the UF Digital Collections.