Final answer:
Drinking an isotonic sports drink like Gatorade generally maintains hydration levels in the gut epithelium, while a hypertonic solution could initially draw water out of the cells, potentially leading to less hydration.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a person drinks a salt/sugar mix such as Gatorade, it is aimed at rehydration, but the impact on the hydration of gut epithelial cells depends on the tonicity of the solution. If the drink is isotonic, the hydration of the gut epithelium will not change significantly as the drink has a similar concentration of solutes compared to the cells' interior, allowing for balanced water movement. However, if the drink is hypertonic (higher solute concentration than the body's cells), it might initially lead to less hydration of the gut epithelium as water will move out of cells into the gut to balance the concentration gradient, as per osmosis.
Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to one of higher solute concentration. Thus, a hypertonic solution in the gut can draw water out of epithelial cells, potentially dehydrating them. Sports drinks, though, aim to maintain a balance, replenishing fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat and preventing dehydration.