Whether you drink chocolate milk commonly as a weekend snack or simply to reminisce about your childhood once in a while, it’s probably not the first option you think that of in terms of post-workout recovery.
Unless you’re on TikTok. According to many on the social media platform, chocolate milk will not be only delicious, but offers advantages comparable to a post-workout sports drink.
Is there any evidence to support this? Let’s take a look.
Hydration after training is essential
Water is something in between 50% and 60% our body weight. Water has many necessary functions in the body, including by helping to keep up appropriate body temperature through sweating.
We naturally lose water from our bodies through sweating, respiration, and once we go to the bathroom. It is subsequently necessary to remain hydrated to replenish the water that’s lost.
When we do not, we dehydrate, which might put a strain on our bodies. Symptoms and symptoms of dehydration Symptoms may include thirst, dizziness, low blood pressure and confusion.
Athletes, attributable to their higher level of exertion, lose more water by sweating and from respiration (as their respiration rate becomes faster). If they train or compete in a hot or humid environment, they’ll sweat much more.
Dehydration affects athletes’ performance and like all of us, it may impact their health.
That’s why it’s necessary to seek out ways to supply athletes with rapid hydration during and after training or competition. Fortunately, sports scientists and nutritionists have conducted studies on the composition of various fluids to know which of them hydrate athletes most effectively.
Drink hydration indicator
The best hydrating drinks are the ones that the body retains the most after consuming them. In a study where people got various drinks under standardized conditions, scientists were in a position to determine how the different options stack up.
To do that, they developed something they call the Beverage Hydration Index, which measures how well different fluids hydrate you in comparison with still water.
According to this index, drinks with similar fluid retention to still water include carbonated water, sports drinks, cola, weight loss plan cola, tea, coffee, and beer with lower than 4% ABV. That said, alcohol is probably going best avoided during recovery after exercise.
Beverages that retain more fluid than still water include milk (each full-fat and skimmed), soy milk, orange juice and oral rehydration solutions.
Research suggests that in terms of post-exercise hydration, unflavored milk (full fat, skimmed or soy) is healthier than sports drinks.
What about chocolate milk?
A small study examined the effects of chocolate milk versus regular milk on hydration and exercise performance. futsal players (Futsal is analogous to soccer, but played indoors.) The researchers found no difference in hydration between the two. There aren’t any other published studies, so far as I do know, comparing chocolate milk to regular milk for hydration during or after exercise.
But rehydration isn’t the only thing athletes are in search of in sports drinks. In the same study, drinking chocolate milk after a game (called the recovery period) increased the time it took futsal players to exhaust themselves during further exercise (the shuttle run test) 4 hours later.
This can also be shown in review of several clinical studiesThe evaluation found that compared to numerous placebos (corresponding to water) or other drinks containing fat, protein and carbohydrates, chocolate milk increased the time to exhaustion during exercise.
What does chocolate milk contain?
Milk incorporates protein, carbohydrates and electrolyteseach of which might impact hydration, performance, or each.
Protein is essential for constructing muscle, which is sweet for performance. The electrolytes in milk (including sodium and potassium) help replace electrolytes lost through sweat, so that they may also be good for performance and help with hydration.
Compared to regular milk, chocolate milk incorporates added sugar. This provides additional carbohydrates, that are also useful for performance. Carbohydrates provide an instantaneous source of energy for the working muscles of athletes, where they’re stored as glycogen. This may contribute to chocolate milk’s advantage over regular milk by way of athletic endurance.
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Coffee-flavored milk has an added bonus. It incorporates caffeine, which might improve sports performance by reducing the perceived effort expended during exercise.
One study found that a frappe-style drink made with filtered coffee, skimmed milk, and sugar causes higher muscle glycogen levels after exercise in comparison with regular milk with the same amount of added sugar.
So what’s the verdict?
Evidence suggests that chocolate milk may hydrate higher than water or sports drinks after exercise. But there isn’t a evidence to suggest that it hydrates higher than regular milk. However, chocolate milk does appear to enhance athletic endurance compared with regular milk.
Ultimately, the best hydration drink for athletes is the one they’re almost certainly to drink.
While many TikTok trends aren’t evidence-based, it looks as if chocolate milk might be a good option for post-exercise recovery. And it’s cheaper than specialist sports nutrition products. You should purchase different brands at the supermarket or make your individual at home from chocolate drinking powder.
This does not imply that everybody should reach for chocolate milk once they feel thirsty. Chocolate milk has more calories than regular milk and lots of other drinks due to the added sugar. For most of us, chocolate milk could also be the best approach to indulge occasionally.