Chocolate Milk vs. Gatorade/Powerade/etc.

They're both horrible. Gatorade for the obvious reasons, and milk because it does nothing for hydration, and it's a low-glycemic food that 70% of the world's population can't properly digest anyway. And even for those who can digest the proteins, it takes far longer to digest them than the short window in which protein replacement is optimal (30 minutes). You're best bet is to drink coconut water and eat a clif bar. That takes care of everything.

NJCoach wrote:

Dingler is right. Protein AFTER your workout. Water & Gatorade before or during. Protein is hard to digest, so using it during a workout might not be advisable. Chocolate milk is cheap and good but something like Muscle Milk might be better since it's lactose free (easier to digest), probably has less fat, and offers a lot more nutrients.

NOT SURE about this comment, but i pr'd on a 5 miler right after eating a double bacon cheeseburger

For a recovery drink or what? If for a post-workout

drink, you do not want gatorade or powerade. The latter

two are particularly lame for a post-workout drink

as they have basically no protein(of course, gatorade

does make a variety that would be more appropriate

that does contain adequate amounts of protein(where

"adequate" would be a drink that has a

protein/carb ratio > .5).

Too, chocolate milk may be suitable but I wouldn't think

optimal. The reason is that if you are using actual

milk in your drink, then the sugars will be composed

primarily of the substrate galactose. galactose will not

produce the same kind of insulin response that a simple sugar such as glucose will(likewise for fructose).

So you want a simple sugar drink with adequate amounts of protein. The reason is that your muscle cells are particularly insulin sensitive post-workouts and so

it becomes a prime-time to take advantage of this state

of your cell to invoke an insulin response; the benefit

isn't to just shuttle glucose into the muscle cells

but also the circulating amino acids for optimal muscle

recovery.

Studies have shown that there exist a window(usually 30 minutes) to achieve this and the benefits range from

increase in glycogen synthesis, increase in fat oxidation,

increase in immune response, and accelerating muscle repair.

The key idea is this: when you subject yourself to a rough

workout your body has to deal with the catabolic effects of cortisol and you can counter that with the anabolic effects of insulin. That is what is fundamentally going on with your body during and post workout and what motivates the composition of an energy drink that exploits the use of the hormone insulin.

Rod Munch wrote:

Runningart2004 wrote:

If you're looking to save money on a recovery drink and think switching to chocolate milk is a good idea...don't. You're better of just drinking water.

I would like to see you back up that claim with some reasoning.

Chocolate milk is high in high fructose corn syrup....hence you're better off just drinking water. Chocolate milk also has a fair amount of fat in it....slowing the absorption of the protein/carbs.

Alan

Chocolate milk is not necessarily high in HFCS. It may be but it may not be. It depends on what kind of chocolate milk you are drinking! If you make it yourself with a chocolate powder that does not contain HFCS and use milk that doesn't contain HFCS, then you'll have chocolate milk without HFCS. Too, you can buy such varieties. Whether it is a 365 organic chocolate milk or otherwise, they exist.

Does ANYONE have links to back up their supposed scientific expertise? All I have is the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/health/nutrition/05Best.html

And I bet people are going to hate on Kolata/the Times because it's written for a popular audience, but any other sources worth taking seriously?

Kolata does a good job of challenging some popular myths. One point she returns to over and over is that there is a dearth of good research on subjects like warming up:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/health/nutrition/18best.html?ref=personalbest

stretching:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/health/nutrition/07Best.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

and as linked above, recovery drinks. Personally I don't drink gatorate or water during workouts because it makes me cramp up. Afterwards, I sometimes drink chocolate milk, and sometimes I just make dinner. I don't stretch and before my best races ever I warmed up for 15 and 10 minutes.

I think the real answer to this debate is here:

"“It does seem to me that as a group, athletes are particularly gullible,” said Michael Rennie, a physiologist at the University of Nottingham in England who studies muscle metabolism."

I drink goat milk, right out of the goat. No HFCS in those babies. It's good training trying to catch them too.

Chocolate milk is high in high fructose corn syrup....hence you're better off just drinking water. Chocolate milk also has a fair amount of fat in it....slowing the absorption of the protein/carbs.

Alan[/quote]

were you not aware that there are different types of milk?

there are such things as low fat and skim, incredible discoveries, i know.

and not all choco milk has HFCS.

it provides water, electrolytes, vitamin D and calcium, as well as easily absorbable protein (whey) and carbohydrate. it also has carb and protein in a desirable ratio for absorption.

i don't see what all the anti-milk fuss is about. if you are lactose intolerant then it's probably not for you. otherwise it has shown to be a good option.

Not All wrote:

One big problem with Chocolate milk is that most people just buy some at a convenience store on their way home and don't read the label. That type of premade chocolate milk has a bunch of High Fructose Corn Syrup in it.

Captain Awesome wrote:

The other big problem is that it has milk in it.

And chocolate.

milehigh wrote:

it provides water, electrolytes, vitamin D and calcium, as well as easily absorbable protein (whey) and carbohydrate. it also has carb and protein in a desirable ratio for absorption.

i don't see what all the anti-milk fuss is about. if you are lactose intolerant then it's probably not for you. otherwise it has shown to be a good option.

You're missing the point..... for the paltry 30% of the population who aren't actually allergic to it, it takes 5-8 HOURS to properly digest an 8 oz glass of milk. The whole idea behind post-workout drinks is to get the protein in there within 30 minutes after finishing the activity. That doesn't happen if you drink milk. It's another huge lie perpetrated by the dairy industry, who would also like you to think that drinking milk makes your bones stronger, when in fact, it does just the opposite.

What about chocolate soy and almond milk? Would those be a better option. They still have carbs, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Also, they have very little to no fat to slow down digestion.

bootsie wrote:

[quote]milehigh wrote:

You're missing the point..... for the paltry 30% of the population who aren't actually allergic to it, it takes 5-8 HOURS to properly digest an 8 oz glass of milk. The whole idea behind post-workout drinks is to get the protein in there within 30 minutes after finishing the activity. That doesn't happen if you drink milk. It's another huge lie perpetrated by the dairy industry, who would also like you to think that drinking milk makes your bones stronger, when in fact, it does just the opposite.

Then explain to me how people provided milk and milk proteins experience significant increases in skeletal muscle protein synthesis over a few hours either in a post-absorptive or post-exercise state? Also, I would appreciate an explanation for how milk makes bones weaker.

bootsie wrote:

They're both horrible. Gatorade for the obvious reasons, and milk because it does nothing for hydration, and it's a low-glycemic food that 70% of the world's population can't properly digest anyway. And even for those who can digest the proteins, it takes far longer to digest them than the short window in which protein replacement is optimal (30 minutes). You're best bet is to drink coconut water and eat a clif bar. That takes care of everything.

Wouldn't a Clif Bar take a lot longer to digest than 30 minutes?

...this is a thread for LeBron James, looking 'for short-cuts' again. How's about HARD WORK and a $100 for the 'win Alex!'

Geez, makes me wonder how many Kenyan's ask silly questions like this? Just run.

I admit, I haven't read all the post so please excuse me for my bad " Let's Run" etiquette manners ...

My take, I love chocolate milk AFTERWARDS, especially following a hard workout and consume Gatorade /Propel either before or during workout.

Hope this helps....:)

The claim on the side of a jug of Endurox suggests that carb to protein ratios around 4:1 improve the absorption of the proteins... anyone have any data on that?

Also, Endurox has L-glutamine, which I believe they claim facilitates the production of muscle protein. I've heard of people taking glutamine as a supplement, anything to this?

I prefer the drink of Shelane Flanagin "Sustain" by Melaleuca Inc. More electrolytes, and less sugar than Powerade or Gatorade. for more information visit my site jtharp@ghb.biz

these fellas prefer a different liquid and i guess it almost worked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drk4emkXC3A

sdfasdfds wrote:

Push Alt F4 wrote:

Goes down real smooth.

that's what she said

That made me laugh. You definitely nailed that one.