I've read the studies that showed cheap chocolate milk to work better as a recovery drink than the expensive commercial recovery or energy drinks.

Which is nice given how expensive and hassle a lot of the commercial things are, but I don't like chocolate milk as much I like just plain milk. Or even strawberry milk.

Does anyone know if any further research has been done on this, and whether the chocolateness of the chocolate milk is important for some reason, or whether plain or strawberry milks work fine too? I've had a look on pubmed and not found anything obvious yet.

I'm guessing the people who originally started using chocolate milk just used it because they like it, or because you don't have to keep it as cold as normal milk, but I don't know if there is any other reason to favour that flavour?

Joe

I thought that there was one particular American brand which had the 'right' carb to protein ratio, not sure what it was, which was why straberry, vanilla, plain etc milk wasn't recommended for the purpose.

I've recently started drinking lots of 'for goodness shakes' which paints a good picture on their website, but I don't think there's much regulation in the industry's advertising, if you get my drift. I like chocolate milk though. A lot.

Maybe chocolate milk is better than regular milk because it provides more simple sugars? I don't actually know if they're any use for recovery after exercise though.

Surely chocolate milk is a bit of protein and a lot of sugar? Great for the immediate feel good effect but wholly useless at getting you ready for another effort the next day.

"whether the chocolateness of the chocolate milk is important for some reason"

I doubt it 😀 , although my wife would disagree!

I think it was cycling plus that had a study done comparing the Friji shakes with for goodness ones and a powder. They concluded that they were all about the same as they have the same protein to carb ratio.

I use the strawberry and chocoloate Friji shakes, I don't notice a difference between the two but I do notice if I don't drink one…

I think it was cycling plus that had a study done comparing the Friji shakes with for goodness ones and a powder.

The friji ones taste like galaxy to me, for goodness shakes seems a little more like grown up chocolate, and ahem, sophisticated. All part of the placebo effect, perhaps?

don't know but torq recovery all tastes vile apart from strawberry and that looks like spunk

All i know that after running 26 miles a few times this month a choccy Yazoo as soon as i get in the door makes me feel good. The fact they are cheap, 55p for 500ml, are UHT so last for ages out the fridge and taste nice are bonuses.

Not very scientific.

Sugar is an instant hit and the mil is a good source of available protein.

Have a look on the ingredients of most recovery drinks. They contain whey protein which comes from milk!

Surely chocolate milk is a bit of protein and a lot of sugar? Great for the immediate feel good effect but wholly useless at getting you ready for another effort the next day.

That is what the people who sell expensive 'protein and carbohydrate' (that's a bit of protein and a lot of sugar to you) recovery drinks would like you to think.

The original studies are:
Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with 2 commercially available sport drinks.

and

Chocolate milk as a post-exercise recovery aid.

and if you look at them, they seem pretty conclusive in support of chocolate milk, both for exercise later in the same day (4 hours later in the Northumbria study) and in the next 2 days in the Indiana study.

Oh, I've just found this review paper which is interesting:
http://www.jissn.com/content/5/1/15
to summarise it, studies seem a bit limited so far, but the likely findings for endurance athletes like cyclists are:
a)milk is as good as carbohydrate drinks as a during exercise drink
b)milk is a good recovery drink compared to commercial ones
c)milk is a very good rehydration drink – better than water or sports drinks.
d)and as a bonus, it is good for people doing strength exercise too

Joe

Have a look on the ingredients of most recovery drinks. They contain whey protein which comes from milk!

I know they do. The also contain pseudo-scientific gubbins about how they extract only the most efficient type of proteins and carbohydrates and stuff, to make the perfect recovery drink. Which the scientific evidence doesn't appear to support.

Joe

Does anyone know if any further research has been done on this…

No, but I know of research in progress that suggests that less than 10% of "athletes" who consume isotonic/energy/recovery products actually do exercise of sufficient intensity or duration to warrant their use……

Money for old rope shocker.

I buy whatever std milk shakes are on offer, tend to avoid Frij though – they're too thick, they use to much thicker, makes me retch a bit at times.

I drink choccy nesquik and I find it's ace before or after my commute.
On that basi alone I think it's great and cheaper than the equivalent protein shakes.

Chocolate Nesquik is yummy – off to buy some now 🙂

half a scoop (15g ish) of bannana flavoured whey protein (its inedible on its own so this is as good a use as any) in my morning smoothie before commuting into work.

The same again but stawbery flavoured, made up with a half pint of milk when I get back.

Its not killed me, isn't as bad for my teath as nesquick/yazoo/etc, and seems to stop my muscles acheing the next day.

No, but I know of research in progress that suggests that less than 10% of "athletes" who consume isotonic/energy/recovery products actually do exercise of sufficient intensity or duration to warrant their use……

True. I only use anything like this in a big week or at races. I find it amazing when you go on just a normal ride and someone turns up with the stuff, rather than just soreen or some other normal food.

This week is a big week. Due to various things needing to be ridden for an event I'm planning, and needing to commute 33 miles to work for 4 days in addition to that, plus a silly decision to go on the chain gang on Tuesday, I've done 14 hours of exercise mostly at a mix of medium to high intensity (except for the road club ride which was all high intensity for me) since Monday. I have another hour this afternoon (to get me home), several hours tomorrow and Sunday (more planning) and I'm finding myself needing a little bit more food and things to help me recover between rides, and hence I have been drinking a few choccy milks. I'll probably have spent at least 20 hours doing exercise this week in the end.

I also lost half a stone recently for various reasons, so I'm just over 11 stone, whereas my normal riding (& swimming) weight is about 11.5. I don't really want to run a calorie deficit.

Added to that, I really need to be fully fit for the weekend after this one, as I'm leading 3 days of riding.

Is that enough to warrant maybe eating or drinking a few more calories?

Joe

You need pies joe, lots of pies, probably with cheesy double fried chips.

Leffe for the win 8)

You need pies joe, lots of pies, probably with cheesy double fried chips.

I made special fried potato cheese and egg dinner yesterday. I think that is probably in the same realm as cheesy chips! Although I did dilute the fried goodness a bit with some cabbage, onion and peppers and stuff.

Joe

Does anyone know if any further research has been done on this…

Yeah I tried the Zipvit chocolate recovery drink…I yacked it back up, 'orrible stuff 8)

I don't particularly like chocolate drinks [or ice cream etc] so I just tend to use strawberry or bannana
I don't have any to compare with right now but I remember that the chocolate ones had slightly different % of carb & protein etc.

That Asda 'Breaktime' ones @ 44p each are very good

If you look at their study more closely though, suprisingly the protein filled milky chocolate drink performed better than the carbohydrate only sample and the electrolite only sample. wonder what they might of found if they actually bother testing it against other like for like protein based recovery drinks???

Mars refuel…..mmmmmm.

If you look at their study more closely though, suprisingly the protein filled milky chocolate drink performed better than the carbohydrate only sample and the electrolite only sample. wonder what they might of found if they actually bother testing it against other like for like protein based recovery drinks???

The Indiana study used Endurox R4, which is a recovery drink. It claims to be better than pure protein recovery drinks (see the text below from their blurb), and if you look at the composition it is very similar in terms of protein / carb balance to milk.

Although researchers have noted that protein can provide a number of essential benefits in the recovery process, too much protein can actually slow restoration of glycogen and rehydration. Endurox R4 is unique because it provides the ideal Optimum Recovery Ratio (carbohydrate to protein 4:1) to deliver the benefits of protein without negatively affecting rehydration and glycogen restoration.

Joe

I thought that the point was that ANY sweetened milk drink would be good- the protein comes from the milk and the carbs from the sugar content which is present in all of them.

Either way, I like Mars Refuel lots, even if they do spout bobbins on the side of the bottle.

I'm with stumpy and rolf on this one. Mars Refuel is fan-bloody-tastic. The down side is its approx £1.40.

I've become a Chocolate Nesquik fan recently. Where has this stuff been the rest of my life! I've convinced myself that it aids recovery. I have no evidence to back this up, but it sure tastes nice 🙂
Though i've had to get off my moral high horse and hide it round the corner, as the stuff is made by baby murdering nestle.

No, but I know of research in progress that suggests that less than 10% of "athletes" who consume isotonic/energy/recovery products actually do exercise of sufficient intensity or duration to warrant their use……

You do see a lot of *ahem* larger *ahem* MTBers eating/drinking rather a lot of energy products before, during and after not particularly difficult rides…

I'll have a chocolate milkshake the night before a big ride. I feel better for it. Even if it's the placebo effect, I'll take all the help I can.

It tastes better than the beetroot juice I experimented with before Kielder 🙂

KingofBiscuits:
I'm with stumpy and rolf on this one. Mars Refuel is fan-bloody-tastic. The down side is its approx £1.40.

I would use this instead of Yazoo….but as you pointed out it is about a gazillion quid.

"You do see a lot of *ahem* larger *ahem* MTBers eating/drinking rather a lot of energy products before, during and after not particularly difficult rides… "

Coversley when I use a recovery drink (chocolate shake) for a period I actually lose weight as it stops me pigging out on the wrong stuff!

How much do you need to drink of this stuff after a ride ?

And does it have to be as soon as you have done the ride or will a hour or so later be ok ?

sorry if its a silly question,,

How much do you need to drink of this stuff after a ride ?

And does it have to be as soon as you have done the ride or will a hour or so later be ok ?

sorry if its a silly question,,

It's within 20 minutes, I believe. I drink a bottle, which is about a pint.

How much do you need to drink of this stuff after a ride ?

Depends on the length/intensity of ride. Anything upto 30 miles i would not bother.

Is that enough to warrant maybe eating or drinking a few more calories?

Joe

Course it is Joe, recovery drink, choccy milk, banana butty, whatever – my point was directed more at the 'sports food industry' than any riders or individuals.
😉

It was good enough for Mr T

They do a Mars drink in the £1 shop – Horsham anyway – not sure if it's the 'refuel' but it's worth a look – not particularly knocked out by it but if it does help on recovery I might get some in !

Not sure but I think it was even £1 for TWO bottles. Ofcourse, I might be wrong on all this…

The pound shop in Darlington does two 310ml bottles of Mars refuel for a pound.