MILK - An Ideal Sports Recovery Drink
Milk does much more than build strong bones! While the bone-building benefits of milkare widely known, many coaches, parents and athletes are unaware of the additional value this nutritious, delicious and affordable beverage lends to the athlete or physically active individual. Thanks to a growing body of research, there is evidence to support milk as an ideal sports recovery drink. Several recent studies provide more detail on the sports-related nutritional benefits of milk:
CHOCOLATE MILK is a nutritious alternative to carbohydrate-replacement sports drinks, supplying athletes with energy and helping muscles refuel after exercising.
A study investigated nine cyclists who biked until their muscles were depleted withenergy, rested four hours, then biked again until exhaustion three separate times. By the second ride, cyclists who consumed approximately 500ml low-fat chocolate milk were able to ride as long or longer than those cyclists who consumed 500ml of either a traditional sports drink or a carbohydrate-replacement sports drink. Researchers theorize that chocolate milk’s unique combination of carbohydrates and protein helped supply the cyclists with the necessary nutrients to refuel their bodies with energy and replace muscle proteins that were lost during the workout.
Karp J, Johnston J, Tecklenberg S, Mickleborough T, Fly A, Stager J. Chocolate milk as a post-exercise recovery aid.
International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2006 (16: 78-91).
WHEY PROTEIN, found naturally in milk, stimulates protein synthesis after resistance exercise.
One hour after performing a bout of resistance training, 23 healthy untrained volunteers who were given 20g whey protein had a similar positive net muscle protein balance to those who were given 20g casein. Results of this study indicate that whole protein consumption can stimulate post-resistance exercise muscle protein synthesis, which could over time lead to bigger, stronger muscles.
Tipton K, Elliott T, Cree M, Wolf S, Sanford A, Wolfe R. Ingestion of casein and whey proteins result in muscle anabolism after resistance exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2004; 36(12): 2073-2081.
Drinking MILK after heavy weightlifting helps exercisers burn more fat and
build more muscle.
This study examined the effects of fat-free milk, soy or carbohydrate-based beverage consumption on muscle fiber size, strength and body composition for 56 novice male weightlifters during a 12-week resistance training program. The men who consumed two cups of fat-free milk immediately following their workouts and then again one hour later lost nearly twice as much fat (two pounds) as the carbohydrate group, while the soy group lost no fat at all. Also, muscle gain proved to be greater among the milk drinkers than among those who drank either the carbohydrate or soy beverage.
Hartman J, Tang J, Wilkinson S, Tarnoplosky M, Lawrence R, Fullerton A and Phillips S. Consumption of fat-free fluid milk following resistance training exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than soy or carbohydrate consumption in young novice male weightlifters. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007 (86: No. 2, 373-381).
Choosing MILK over soy as a post-resistance training beverage can result
in greater muscle mass accretion.
This study investigated the muscular effects that either milk or soy beverage consumption had on eight male participants just completing a bout of lower body resistance training. Findings showed a gain in net muscle protein balance among all participants, but muscleprotein synthesis was 34% greater after drinking milk as compared to those who drank soy.
Wilkinson S, Tarnopolsky M, MacDonald J, MacDonald M, Armstrong D, Phillips S. Consumption of fluid skim milk promotes greater muscle protein accretion after resistance exercise than does consumption of an isonitrogenous soyprotein beverage.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007; 85:1031-40.
SKIM MILK is a natural and effective post-exercise recovery aid.
Researchers in this study compared skim milk, water and Powerade following a five-hour period of exercise. Among the 11 total participants, it was found that urine excretion was unchanged among those who drank milk, whereas urine excretion increased among those who drank the other beverages. Additionally, participants remained in either net positive fluid balance or a normal state of body water content throughout the recovery period after drinking milk, but returned to net negative fluid balance one hour after consuming the other drinks. These findings suggest that milk may promote recovery and rehydration better than water or an isotonic sports drink.
Shirreffs S, Watson P, Maughan R. Milk as an effective post-exercise rehydration drink, British Journal of Nutrition. 2007; 98: 173-180.
Consumption of DAIRY foods leads to stronger bones and bone mass preservation.
A research review of 138 studies examining the relationship between bone health andcalcium intake concluded that high calcium -- and more specifically, dairy food -- intake throughout life increased peak bone mass and slowed age-related bone loss.
Heaney R. Calcium, dairy products and osteoporosis.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2000 (19: 83S-99S).
Three daily servings of MILK contribute to a healthy diet by helping children
and adolescents meet calcium and vitamin D needs.
A report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends drinking three eight-ounce glasses of milk per day (or the equivalent) to achieve the recommended intake of calcium and Vitamin D in children four to eight years of age, and four eight- to ten-ounce glasses of milk (or the equivalent) to achieve the adequate calcium and vitamin D intake for adolescents.
American Academy of Pediatrics, Optimizing bone health and calcium intakes of infants, children, and adolescents.
Pediatrics. 2006; 117 (2): 578-585.
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