Sports drinks like Gatorade and many others have long been used after intense workouts, especially by strength trainers, to help their muscles recover.
Recently, two studies challenged that thinking. They suggest milk or especially chocolate milk. Yet at least a couple of Polk County, Fla., trainers don’t agree.
The studies were presented at the recent American College of Sports Medicine’s 57th annual meeting in Baltimore. According to them, commercial sports drinks tend to be loaded with artificial colors and sugar. Chocolate milk has some sugar but is more natural and contains beneficial nutrients.
“Gatorade and sports drinks don’t have protein, and milk does,” said Ken Snell, trainer at All-American Gym in Lakeland, Fla., and teacher of wellness at Polk State College for 15 years. “Eighty percent of (milk protein) is casein protein and 20 percent whey protein. Whey protein acts quickly to get right into the muscle tissue after a workout. Casein digests a little slower — a steady stream of amino acids over a period of time. They are the building blocks of protein. Both act quickly, one of the big differences compared to Gatorade or Powerade.”
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