Commercial recovery drinks have been proven to be effective at replenishing muscle glycogen stores if consumed shortly after a bout of intense exercise, preparing athletes for their next training session. These recovery drinks are usually a flavored, water-based beverage combined with fast-acting carbohydrates and protein for muscle recovery. Recent research has compared these commercially available drinks to another easily accessible carbohydrate and protein beverage – chocolate milk – with surprising results. The Chocolate Milk Endurance Experiment Researcher published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism took a group of highly-trained cyclists and triathletes through a high-intensity interval workout followed by the consumption of a commercially available recovery sports drink. Fifteen to 18 hours later, the athletes performed a second workout at 85% of their maximum aerobic capacity until they could not continue the workout. A week later the same test was performed, but instead of drinking the sports drink, athletes consumed an amount of chocolate milk containing the same number of calories as the recovery drink in the prior week. Time to exhaustion and creatine kinase levels, an indicator of muscle damage, were used to determine the efficacy of both beverages as a muscle recovery aid. The results showed no significant differences between chocolate milk and the sports recovery drink as a recovery aid following intense exercise. The Chocolate Milk Soccer Experiment Additional research has been published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition detailing the recovery effects of chocolate milk on collegiate soccer players after intermittent intense workouts. Muscle damage and muscle soreness were tested immediately following intense workouts, as well as two hours and four hours following the exercise, after consuming either a commercially available sports drink, or chocolate milk. After a two-week period, the experiment was performed again, but this time alternating drinks. Muscle recovery was similar between chocolate milk and the recovery drink in both trials. Is Chocolate Milk an Acceptable Sports Recovery Drink?
Chocolate milk, while not more effective than commercially available recovery drinks, is as effective as commercial products. This is good news since chocolate milk is usually a less expensive, more widely available, and a more flavorful option than recovery drinks. For athletes who prefer the taste of chocolate milk over commercial drinks, chocolate milk is an effective aid in recovering from bouts of intense training and preparing athletes for their next intense workout.
0 Kommentare
Hinterlasse eine Antwort. |
ArchivKategorien |