Why is chocolate milk good for athletes

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Chocolate milk: a post-exercise recovery beverage for endurance sports
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Is it good for athletes to drink chocolate milk?
Why is chocolate milk good for muscle recovery?
Is chocolate milk good before sports?
Does chocolate milk help build muscle?

doi: 10.1159/000341954. Epub 2012 Oct 15.

PMID: 23075563
DOI: 10.1159/000341954

Review

Chocolate milk: a post-exercise recovery beverage for endurance sports

Kelly Pritchett et al. Med Sport Sci. 2012.

Abstract

An optimal post-exercise nutrition regimen is fundamental for ensuring recovery. Therefore, research has aimed to examine post-exercise nutritional strategies for enhanced training stimuli. Chocolate milk has become an affordable recovery beverage for many athletes, taking the place of more expensive commercially available recovery beverages. Low-fat chocolate milk consists of a 4:1 carbohydrate:protein ratio (similar to many commercial recovery beverages) and provides fluids and sodium to aid in post-workout recovery. Consuming chocolate milk (1.0-1.5•g•kg(-1) h(-1)) immediately after exercise and again at 2 h post-exercise appears to be optimal for exercise recovery and may attenuate indices of muscle damage. Future research should examine the optimal amount, timing, and frequency of ingestion of chocolate milk on post-exercise recovery measures including performance, indices of muscle damage, and muscle glycogen resynthesis.

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Is it good for athletes to drink chocolate milk?

Chocolate milk is most helpful for athletes who need high levels of calories, carbohydrates and proteins to maintain their level of play.

Why is chocolate milk good for muscle recovery?

A: A liquid recovery drink is usually a good idea, including chocolate milk. Liquids are quickly digested and absorbed, which helps enhance recovery. Chocolate milk has the required ratio of 3-4 grams carbohydrate to 1 gram protein. And as a complete protein, it provides the essential amino acids your body can't make.

Is chocolate milk good before sports?

Chocolate milk can provide some positive benefits before training. Drinking 8 oz. of chocolate milk 30 minutes before a workout can help boost muscle glycogen. It also provides you with much-needed nutrients and carbohydrates for energy.

Does chocolate milk help build muscle?

Chocolate milk is a potential recovery drink as it offers the perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein with relatively low fat. The carbohydrates in chocolate milk aid in glycogen store replenishment while the protein assists in protein synthesis, aka building muscle.