Post by KenNiemann on May 19, 2009 23:19:44 GMT -5
MILK: Does it do an athletic body any good?
Numerous studies are emerging indicating that milk may be nature's "sports recovery drink." Milk is a good source of protein, fat, amino acids (the building blocks of protein), vitamins, and minerals. The health benefits of milk are well established, ranging from improved bone density to a decreased risk of high blood pressure.
Interpreting the Results
What would make milk a potentially good sports recovery drink? It's the nutritional composition. First, milk contains carbohydrates in amounts similar to many commercially available sports drinks. This is good for replenishing the carbohydrate you use up in your muscles during training. Second, milk contains casein and whey protein, two high quality proteins. Casein is slowly digested in the stomach, allowing a sustained elevation in the amino acids in your blood; having more amino acids around for a longer time means more building blocks available to your muscles. Whey protein contains a large proportion of what are called branched chain amino acids; these are the most abundant amino acids in your muscles and are critical to muscle building.
Finally, milk contains naturally high levels of electrolytes. Electrolytes are important minerals that are lost through the sweat during exercise. High concentrations of electrolytes should aid in fluid recovery after exercise.
The Research on Milk
While milk sounds like a good post training drink in theory, the question is whether this is true in real life. Fortunately scientists have been asking this same question and have been reporting interesting results. What really matters, no matter what is reported, is whether milk really helps you build strength and muscle.
The evidence definitely indicates that milk has benefits for resistance-training athletes after training, but these are not the only types of athletes out there. Endurance athletes are looking for drinks that can help them recover from their long workouts, improve their endurance, and replenish fluids. While more research is needed to understand how milk benefits you and which types of milk would be the best (e.g., non-fat, low-fat, whole, or chocolate). In some studies, (Six studies referenced here), subjects who drank chocolate milk after training as compared to a commercial sports drink, showed a tendency towards greater fat-free mass gains.
So if you want to add milk to your post-training menu, stick with the non-fat, low fat, or chocolate varieties as those are what have been used in studies; the most appropriate kind will depend upon your caloric needs (chocolate milk has the most calories).
Original Research
Roy, B.D, "Milk: The New Sports Drink? A Review." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 5:15-21, 2008.
Numerous studies are emerging indicating that milk may be nature's "sports recovery drink." Milk is a good source of protein, fat, amino acids (the building blocks of protein), vitamins, and minerals. The health benefits of milk are well established, ranging from improved bone density to a decreased risk of high blood pressure.
Interpreting the Results
What would make milk a potentially good sports recovery drink? It's the nutritional composition. First, milk contains carbohydrates in amounts similar to many commercially available sports drinks. This is good for replenishing the carbohydrate you use up in your muscles during training. Second, milk contains casein and whey protein, two high quality proteins. Casein is slowly digested in the stomach, allowing a sustained elevation in the amino acids in your blood; having more amino acids around for a longer time means more building blocks available to your muscles. Whey protein contains a large proportion of what are called branched chain amino acids; these are the most abundant amino acids in your muscles and are critical to muscle building.
Finally, milk contains naturally high levels of electrolytes. Electrolytes are important minerals that are lost through the sweat during exercise. High concentrations of electrolytes should aid in fluid recovery after exercise.
The Research on Milk
While milk sounds like a good post training drink in theory, the question is whether this is true in real life. Fortunately scientists have been asking this same question and have been reporting interesting results. What really matters, no matter what is reported, is whether milk really helps you build strength and muscle.
The evidence definitely indicates that milk has benefits for resistance-training athletes after training, but these are not the only types of athletes out there. Endurance athletes are looking for drinks that can help them recover from their long workouts, improve their endurance, and replenish fluids. While more research is needed to understand how milk benefits you and which types of milk would be the best (e.g., non-fat, low-fat, whole, or chocolate). In some studies, (Six studies referenced here), subjects who drank chocolate milk after training as compared to a commercial sports drink, showed a tendency towards greater fat-free mass gains.
So if you want to add milk to your post-training menu, stick with the non-fat, low fat, or chocolate varieties as those are what have been used in studies; the most appropriate kind will depend upon your caloric needs (chocolate milk has the most calories).
Original Research
Roy, B.D, "Milk: The New Sports Drink? A Review." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 5:15-21, 2008.