Chocolate milk

The study is not the first to explore the potential benefits of milk consumption. A 2006 study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism assessed a group of cyclists who rode until their muscles were depleted of energy, then rested for four hours before cycling again to exhaustion.

During rest they were given either chocolate milk, which has an optimal ratio of 4:1 for carbohydrates to protein, an isotonic sports drink or a high protein sports drink.

The researchers concluded that the carbohydrates and protein ratio in milk complemented each other, because carbs replace energy while protein rebuilds muscle.

They speculated that chocolate milk is better for recovery than plain milk because of the presence of extra sugars.

Cyclists who had chocolate milk rode about 50 per cent longer than those who drank the protein drink and about as long as those who drank the isotonic preparation.

At the recent Beijing Olympic Games chocolate milk was conspicuous by its presence with high profile athletes such as American multiple gold-medal winning swimmer, Michael Phelps regularly seen drinking it.

Bicarbonate soda was another legal performance enhancer said to have won favour among some athletes. Others included mushrooms, caffeine, cherry juice and honey.

Source:
Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism
Volume 33(4): 775–783 (2008)
‘Acute milk-based protein–CHO supplementation attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage’
Authors: Emma Cockburn, Philip R Hayes, Duncan N French, Emma Stevenson, and Alan St Clair Gibson.