Chocolate milk is a 'natural' for post-exercise recovery

[Guest guest]

Chocolate milk is a 'natural' for post-exercise recovery

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-06/wsw-cmi060210.php

New research suggests drinking chocolate milk after a workout offers advantages

for post-exercise performance and muscle repair

BALTIMORE (June 2, 2010) – One of the best post-exercise recovery drinks could

already be in your refrigerator, according to new research presented at the

American College of Sports Medicine conference this week. In a series of four

studies, researchers found that chocolate milk offered a recovery advantage to

help repair and rebuild muscles, compared to specially designed carbohydrate

sports drinks.

Experts agree that the two-hour window after exercise is an important, yet often

neglected, part of a fitness routine. After strenuous exercise, this

post-workout recovery period is critical for active people at all fitness levels

– to help make the most of a workout and stay in top shape for the next workout.

The new research suggests that drinking fat free chocolate milk after exercise

can help the body retain, replenish and rebuild muscle to help your body

recover. Drinking lowfat chocolate milk after a strenuous workout could even

help prep muscles to perform better in a subsequent bout of exercise.

Specifically, the researchers found a chocolate milk advantage for:

•Building Muscle – Post-exercise muscle biopsies in eight moderately trained

male runners showed that after drinking 16 ounces of fat free chocolate milk,

the runners had enhanced skeletal muscle protein synthesis – a sign that muscles

were better able to repair and rebuild – compared to when they drank a

carbohydrate only sports beverage with the same amount of calories. The

researchers suggest that " athletes can consider fat-free chocolate milk as an

economic nutritional alternative to other sports nutrition beverages to support

post-endurance exercise skeletal muscle repair. " 1

•Replenishing Muscle " Fuel " – Replacing muscle fuel (glycogen) after exercise is

essential to an athlete's future performance and muscle recovery. Researchers

found that drinking 16 ounces of fat free chocolate milk with its mix of

carbohydrates and protein (compared to a carbohydrate-only sports drink with the

same amount of calories) led to greater concentration of glycogen in muscles at

30 and 60 minutes post exercise.2

•Maintaining Lean Muscle – Athletes risk muscle breakdown following exercise

when the body's demands are at their peak. Researchers found that drinking fat

free chocolate milk after exercise helped decrease markers of muscle breakdown

compared to drinking a carbohydrate sports drink.3

•Subsequent Exercise Performance – Ten trained men and women cyclists rode for

an hour and a half, followed by 10 minutes of intervals. They rested for four

hours and were provided with one of three drinks immediately and two hours into

recovery: lowfat chocolate milk, a carbohydrate drink with the same amount of

calories or a control drink. When the cyclists then performed a subsequent 40

kilometer ride, their trial time was significantly shorter after drinking the

chocolate milk compared to the carbohydrate drink and the control drink.4

Why Chocolate Milk?

Chocolate milk's combination of carbohydrates and high-quality protein first

made researchers take notice of a potential exercise benefit. The combination of

carbs and protein already in chocolate milk matched the ratio found to be most

beneficial for recovery. In fact, studies suggest that chocolate milk has the

right mix of carbs and protein to help refuel exhausted muscles, and the protein

in milk helps build lean muscle. This new research adds to a growing body of

evidence suggesting milk can be just as effective as some commercial sports

drinks in helping athletes refuel and recover.

Milk also provides fluids for rehydration and electrolytes, including potassium,

calcium and magnesium lost in sweat, that both recreational exercisers and elite

athletes need to replace after strenuous activity. Plus, chocolate milk is

naturally nutrient-rich with the advantage of additional nutrients not found in

most traditional sports drinks. Penny-for-penny, no other post-exercise drink

contains the full range of vitamins and minerals found in chocolate milk.

###

Sources:

1. Lunn WR, Colletto MR, Karfonta KE, JM, Pasiakos SM, Ferrando AA,

Wolfe RR, NR. Chocolate milk consumption following endurance exercise

affects skeletal muscle protein fractional synthetic rate and intracellular

signaling. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise. 2010;42:S48.

2. Karfonta KE, Lunn WR, Colletto MR, JM, NR. Chocolate milk

enhances glycogen replenishment after endurance exercise in moderately trained

males. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2010;42:S64.

3. Colletto MR, Lunn W, Karfonta K, J, Rogriguez N. Effects of

chocolate milk consumption on leucine kinetics during recovery from endurance

exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2010;42:S126.

4. Ferguson-Stegall L, McCleave E, Doerner PG, Ding Z, Dessard B, Kammer L, Wang

B, Liu Y, Ivy J. Effects of chocolate milk supplementation on recovery from

cycling exercise and subsequent time trial performance. Medicine & Science in

Sports & Exercise. 2010;42:S536.

About the National Milk Mustache " got milk? " ® Campaign

The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by

the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk

consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP,

runs the National Milk Mustache " got milk? " ® Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign

designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk. For more

information, go to www.whymilk.com. Deutsch, A Lowe and Partners Company, is the

creative agency for the National Milk Mustache " got milk? " ® Campaign.

[Guest guest]

I love this article about how chocolate milk is the ideal post workout recovery

drink! But I think it is worth remembering that when athletes talk about

recovery they are talking about recovering from exercising in sessions that tend

to exceed two hours in duration. Also it is worth remembering that just because

you have done exercise the calories in must be less than the calories out or

else you gain weight.

Donna from London