GatorPowerAde, RedJavaThrottleEnergy …energy and sports drinks are heavily marketed to adults and children, and are a huge part of the beverage industry. They promise improved athletic performance, concentration, energy, and stamina — just about everything short of the ability to fly. Energy and sports drinks aren’t the same. Sports drinks were developed to replace the water and electrolytes lost by training athletes. Gatorade’s original formula was developed by researchers at the University of Florida, who collected sweat from exercising Gator students for analysis. Modern sports drinks do contain important electrolytes like potassium and sodium, often combined with sugars or other sweeteners or flavorings. Many also contain an assortment of vitamins and minerals. For...