Recovery drinks- which to choose, why, and how they work
OK, here’s the basic principle behind recovery from exercise:
First, exercise breaks down muscle fibers and uses up energy stores known as glycogen within muscle tissues.
Then, recovery involves replenishing what is broken down- the glucose that makes up glycogen, and the protein that makes up muscles.
Thus, in essence, most “recovery drinks,” bars or supplements that contain protein and sugar will in fact do the job. Still, there are some slight nuances to the various recovery drinks.
Mainly, you want a reasonable amount of sugar, not too much, but not too little. This is usually related to how intense the exercise is. Second, you want high quality protein- meaning that it contains all the amino acids necessary to survive. There are a few types of protein that fit the bill- casein and whey are the most well known. Any plant protein is not complete by itself, this includes soy. Another thing to consider is the quantity of protein- many have far too much. Nobody, for all intents and purposes, can digest and utilize more than 30 grams of protein in one sitting.
Therefore, an effective recovery drink will have between 20-30 grams of protein, preferably of whey or casein variety, and a moderate amount of simple sugar (probably between 30 and 50 grams).
However, some major recovery drinks have things that are unnecessary and potentially harmful. These include: high fat content, high cholesterol, high sodium, and unnecessarily large quantities of many vitamins and/or minerals. Also, some may contain large quantities of heavy metals- not to the point of hazard from one serving, but in fact hazardous at the level of as little as 3 servings a day.
So, when choosing a recovery drink made by a manufacturer, look at the nutrition label and research the product. On the label, look for little to no cholesterol or saturated fat, moderate sugar and protein, no vitamin or mineral with more than 100% daily value, and research proving little to no heavy metal contamination (this metals are Arsenic, Mercury and Cadmium).
Or, you can skip the manufactured stuff and go with normal, whole foods and get NATURE’S Recovery drink:
2% Chocolate Milk- it has the right complement of sugar, fat, and high quality protein to be very beneficial in recovery. You just may need to drink 2-4 cups depending on your size. Yogurt is also a very high quality recovery food. Or, of course, you could grab some fruit and eat some meat, cheese, or regular milk.
Hope this was informative- good workouts to all and drink your milk people!
-Kevan Mellendick, MS Dietetics ‘11