Prices of chocolate milk are on path for a rapid valuation increase. A group of researchers from University of Texas is doing some very interesting work related to diet immediately post exercise. It has been shown previously and widely reported that consuming carbohydrates during long exercise increase performance. Of course carbo loading both before and after endurance races is no secret and has resulted in the now traditional pasta meal scheduled around race events. However, the group from Texas and others have demonstrated the addition of protein to the carb mixture when consumed immediately after regularly scheduled training causes increased gains in the training effects of exercise.
Briefly, a group of thirty-two volunteers between the ages of 18 & 35, recreationally active but not endurance trained were formally and regularly trained on stationery bikes over a five week period and immediately after exercise were given either chocolate (carbohydrate), chocolate milk (carbohydrate plus protein) or a placebo. Muscle biopsies and time trial performance were measure during the third and sixth weeks of the research protocol.
All groups had significant gains in VO2 max as a result of the training protocol but the chocolate milk group had significant gains beyond that of the other two groups. There were also changes to lean body mass that favored the chocolate milk group. In the research no group of protein only supplementation was used so it is impossible to say if similar gains would be found for protein only supplementation.
There is of course always more to learn but initial results suggest that if you are on a regular exercise program you may get additional training benefits by drinking chocolate milk immediately following your workout.
If you would like to learn more on this topic, two of the groups complete research articles are posted on the Lou’s website (www.lous.ca) You could also search John L. Ivy for research since he heads this active group from University of Texas, Austin.
To see the complete research documents go to our tech pages.
Mmmmmm, mmmmmmmmm, Milk
