Milk the drink for more muscle but less fat

Aug 12 2007

According to Canadian scientists drinking two glasses of milk after exercise helps burn more fat and develop more muscle mass.

The researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, conducted a study of 56 men during a 3 month weightlifting program.

The men aged 18 to 30 were subjected to a 12-week rigorous, five-day-per-week weightlifting program; the men were divided into three groups and given either two glasses of skim milk, a soy beverage with equivalent amounts of protein and energy, or a carbohydrate beverage after their workouts.

The researchers from the department of Kinesiology’s Exercise Metabolism Research Group, led by Stuart Phillips, found that the 'milk drinking' group lost two pounds of fat, the 'carbohydrate beverage' group lost one pound of fat and those drinking soy lost no fat.

The milk drinkers group gained an estimated 40 percent, or 2.5 pounds, more muscle mass than the soy drinkers and milk drinkers gained 63 percent, or 3.3 pounds, more muscle mass than the carbohydrate beverage drinkers.

Professor Phillips says the loss of fat mass was much larger than expected and the research implies that milk helps to gain muscle and lose fat when working out.

Phillips says though milk may be better known for its calcium content in supporting bone health, milk also has nine essential nutrients and the ability to aid muscle growth and also promote body fat loss.

The researchers say milk is the ideal post-workout drink for recreational exercisers and athletes alike.

The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.