The Seattle Torrent set a PWHL attendance record in their first home game. | Emily Parkhurst photo
What you probably already know: The Professional Women’s Hockey League just began its third season and now has eight teams with the addition of Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. In a new partnership, Gatorade Canada is “sweat testing” 100 PWHL players to establish female-specific hydration standards. Research shows that only about 6% of sports sciences research includes female physiology, creating “a significant performance gap, as women may have different sweat rates, electrolyte loss patterns, and fluid replacement needs compared to male athletes.” The research is part of a broader Gatorade Sports Science Institute initiative that will include hundreds of women athletes across multiple sports by 2026.
Why it matters: Gatorade calls it a first-of-its-kind study that addresses critical gaps in sports nutrition science for female athletes. Sweat testing measures fluid loss, sweat rate and electrolyte consumption during training or competition, noting that proper hydration helps hockey players maintain speed on the ice, reduce turnovers and improve passing. Each player studied will receive personalized data. "Female hockey players may have different sweat patterns than male players," said study leader Dr. Lawrence Spriet, professor emeritus of human health sciences at the University of Guelph in Ontario. “Why compete without understanding your specific hydration needs?”
What happens next: Gatorade says the study will serve as the “gold standard” for female hydration at all levels, from youth programs to professional leagues, though it centers around the specific needs of hockey players. "I've been fortunate to be sweat tested before, so I understand firsthand how valuable personalized hydration data is for performance," said Marie-Philip Poulin, captain of the PWHL’s Montreal Victoire and a Gatorade-sponsored athlete since 2015. “Insights like these will empower young players to truly understand how to hydrate their unique bodies and ultimately help elevate their game from day one.”
What it means: In general, dehydration has serious consequences and not just for athletes, including impaired cognitive function, reduced muscle performance, cramping and slow reaction times. The initiative launches at the same time as Gatorade’s new “Made By It” campaign centered around professional women’s hockey. That effort also includes activations throughout PWHL arenas. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute launched in 1985 and the company’s partnership with Canadian women’s hockey began in 2015. “This isn't just about supporting where hockey is today,” said PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford. “It's about recognizing what it took to get here, and how we are shaping its future.”
