Aqualyte was developed by Dr Graham Bates, a Medical Physiologist who worked as an academic for 25yrs with research interest in fluid and electrolyte balance for people working and exercising in the heat.
His interest in thermoregulation and hydration started in 1981 when he was running the Comrades 90km marathon in South Africa. At the 65km mark as he was handed a cola drink as fluid replacement, which started him thinking “What is in sweat, as surely that’s what I should be replacing?” At that time, very little research had been conducted into the composition of sweat and so started one of his research themes.
During this work, the same question kept being asked, what should workers in hot hostile environments that can lose up to 8 litres of sweat per day be drinking? Existing products on the market were either too high in sugar or did not match the fluid and electrolyte composition lost in sweat.
After unsuccessfully trying to convince existing companies to manufacture a drink based on the underpinning science, Dr Bates decided to make it himself. From this, Aqualyte was born.
