In the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide , aid agencies were struggling to save the lives of thousands of Rwandan refugees dying of dehydration due to cholera in camps in eastern Zaire . The aid agency AmeriCares was heavily criticized for choosing to provide Gatorade as a form of oral rehydration solution . '' The New York Times '' stated : But while Gatorade might be good for athletes , it is not good for cholera , said Dr. Michael Toole , an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control . Gatorade does not have all the essential ingredients that an I.V. has , and people who were given it might have taken more appropriate solutions , Dr. Toole said . AmeriCares ' president responded : " We stand by our decision to ship Gatorade to Rwandan refugees . In the absence of potable water , Gatorade , with its electrolytes and water , saved countless lives in a true triage situation . " Two studies have suggested that Gatorade is at least as effective in treating dehydration as oral rehydration salts for adults or Pedialyte for children between the ages of 5 and 12 . In both studies , however , potassium deficiency ( hypokalemia ) was more common in patients receiving Gatorade
Rwandan genocide
Rwandan genocide
Gatorade