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 New evidence suggests that by drinking milk after weightlifting, women may gain more muscle and lose more fat than by drinking energy drinks.
The study, published in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, included 20 aerobically fit women who had not participated in resistance-training programs or taken any dietary supplements eight months before the trial.
Two hours before exercising, the women were only allowed to drink water. The daily workout routine included various exercises, such as pull ups, bench presses and hamstring curls. Immediately after exercising and one hour later, one group of women drank 500 milliliters of fat-free milk, while the rest drank a sugar-based energy drink.
After three months, the researchers found that women in the milk group gained more lean body mass and strength and lost more fat mass compared to the control group.
The results support earlier studies that showed similar results in men.
For more information about post-exercise recovery please visit Natural Standard's Sports Medicine database.
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- Hartman JW, Tang JE, Wilkinson SB, et al. Consumption of fat-free fluid milk after resistance exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than does consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Aug;86(2):373-81. View Abstract
- Josse AR, Tang JE, Tarnopolsky MA, et al. Body composition and strength changes in women with milk and resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Jun;42(6):1122-30. View Abstract
- Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
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