There are many sports drinks on the market that claim to help exercisers recover from their aerobic workouts faster. Many of these also claim that they will improve performance.
Some of the most popular recovery drinks are Gatorade and Powerade, which contain plenty of carbohydrates and sodium, but no protein.
Recent studies have indicated that in addition to carbohydrates, a small amount of protein has multiple benefits for those participating in aerobic endurance exercise, such as jogging or cycling.
New drinks like Pacific Health Labs’ Endurox R4 include protein in their recovery drinks. According to Pacific Health Labs’ website, this inclusion of protein will improve the speed of recovery over carbohydrate-only sport drinks and increase endurance in aerobic activities. This would mean that not only would exercisers be able to be active for longer periods of time at the same intensity, but they would also be able to exercise more frequently without feeling fatigued.
While these benefits are wonderful, they are difficult for a college student to afford. A 2 lb container of Endurox R4 cost about $35. With only 14 servings per container, this works out to $2.50 per serving. This additional cost could easily add up to the price of a gym membership if used consistently.
Luckily, there is a cheaper alternative. In her 2009 study in Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism, Dr. Kelly Pritchett and her colleagues found that chocolate milk provided the same post-exercise benefits as similar endurance recovery drinks.
Not only did chocolate milk have no difference in benefits from similar recovery drinks, but all of the participants preferred the chocolate milk. It was found to have a better taste and consistency, as well as cause less intestinal discomfort, than recovery drinks.
This study only helps build the case for using chocolate milk as a post-exercise drink rather than expensive supplements. Rather than spend $2.50 on a scoop of powder, you can go to your choice of grocery store and spend $2.50 on an entire gallon of chocolate milk.
While Endurox R4 and similar drinks may offer the same benefits, chocolate milk will keep your bank account from crying. If you are lactose intolerant, stick to sports drinks for your post-exercise recovery. Otherwise, give chocolate milk a chance and see if it helps in your workout.