Cereal and Milk is the New Sports Supplement

The facts:

• This study compared the effects of whole grain cereal plus non-fat milk with those of a carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink on recovery after endurance exercise in 12 trained cyclists.
• Using a protocol that reflected a typical exercise session, the subjects warmed up then cycled for 2 hours at a comfortable work rate, before having either the cereal/milk or the sports drink.
• Muscle recovery after endurance exercise was found to be the same with cereal/milk as it was with the sports drink.

Dr Shaun Holt:

This study has prompted headlines such as “Cereal And Milk Is The New Sports Supplement”!

It was a small study of 12 athletes and the main finding was that glycogen repletion, the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after whole-grain cereal consumption as with sports drinks and that some aspects of protein synthesis were better.

The researchers concluded that a bowl of whole-grain cereal with a splash of skimmed milk may be a smarter move than investing in a high-priced sports drink.

For more info on the study: http://www.jissn.com/content/6/1/11/abstract

Author: Dr Shaun Holt is a GP and medical research specialist, he is the Author of Natural Remedies That Really Work: a New Zealand Guide and appears regularly on TVNZ’s Breakfast. Check out www.naturalhealthreview.org for further studies and information.