A silhouette of a man playing basketball drips orange sweat. A tennis player swings an intense forehand and purple droplets cascade off her body. A runner glistens blue.

Next commercial.

Water droplets bounce into athletes. The same sports figures rushing out to dunk basketballs or hit tennis balls.

One advertisement is for Gatorade and one for Propel Fitness Water, both boasting the same benefits for athletes who need hydration. But they aren’t the same, and their benefits vary for the type and length of exercised preformed.

Anne Wheatly, a senior in communication who runs cross country and track, said she enjoys propel more for everyday use but Gatorade is better after a long run.

“Gatorade is good right after a workout because it is restoring what you lost during the workout, especially during the summertime,” she said.

Scientists at the University of Florida developed Gatorade to replenish electrolytes and better hydrate the college’s football players in 1965, according to Gatorade’s Web site.

Gatorade, per 8 oz serving, has 50 calories derived exclusively from carbohydrates. It also boosts 110 mg of sodium and 30 mg of potassium, which are electrolytes that are needed for the body to work properly but are lost through sweat.

Lauren Coon, a senior in nutrition science who prefers Gatorade, compared Gatorade with water.

“Water is hydrating, but the electrolytes potassium and sodium help to hydrate your body faster then water because your body sweats it out and it helps to absorb the water,” she said.

Propel Fitness Water, per 8 oz serving, has only 10 calories from carbohydrates. It contains the electrolyte sodium, but trades potassium for an array of vitamins, including C, E, B6, B12, niacin and pantothenic acid.

The calorie decrease and the vitamin addition make Propel a better decision compared with Gatorade when not working out, Coon said.

Wheatly, who prefers melon Propel, agreed with her.

“For normal hydration I would drink Propel because it has less calories but still has the electrolytes,” she said.

Tom Roberts, associate professor of physical education, pointed out that overall both are mostly water based and their primary purpose is hydration, which they will do “equally well.”

The biggest difference is the level of electrolytes, which is much greater in Gatorade.

Roberts gave guidelines for what exercise needs which beverage. If students are going to work out less then an hour, they would want a beverage that is 40 calories or less. If a student is doing an ultra distance, which is a marathon distance or greater, then he or she should use gel packs. For anything between, Gatorade is the answer because “the electrolytes will only help.”

“If you’re an ultra athlete, then you need more punch than Gatorade, it wouldn’t be enough,” he said. “If you are doing an ultra, then protein is more important.”

Athletes need protein for recovery, so protein shakes or supplements are better for after a workout. But Roberts said an extra glass of milk or two would do the same trick because they body can only use so much protein.

Neither Gatorade nor Propel supplies protein, but they do both supply carbohydrates that are needed for energy, which also needs replenishing after a workout. They also supply essentials to the body, especially hydration, with some flavor.

“Gatorade is easier to drink because it tastes better than to chug a bunch of water,” Coon said.