Fortified, Non-Fortified Sports Recovery Drinks Equally Effective 33245

Fortified, Non-Fortified Sports Recovery Drinks EquallyEffective

STARKVILLE, Miss.--Consumption of a fortified post-exercise energy drinkcombined with a strength training program may not increase gains in fat-freemass (FFM), muscle strength and endurance, or anaerobic performance any betterthan a carbohydrate-only drink plus strength training program, according to astudy published in the May issue of Nutrition (20, 5:420-7, 2004) (www.elsevier.com/locate/nut).

The randomized, double blind study involved 33 subjects approximately 20years of age. All subjects participated in strength training program four days aweek for 10 weeks and consumed either a fortified post-exercise drink with wheyprotein, amino acids, creatine and carbohydrates, or a carbohydrate-onlypost-exercise drink after each strength training session. Measurements of bodycomposition, muscle strength and endurance, and anerobic performance were takenat the start of the study and again after completing the 10-week strengthtraining program. In both groups, FFM increased after 10 weeks of strengthtraining and supplementation. There was no statistically significant differencein FFM gain between groups; however, there was a trend toward a greater increasein FFM in the fortified-drink group compared to the carbohydrate-only drinkgroup, suggesting the need for longer-term studies. Performance variablesincluding muscle strength and endurance and anaerobic performance also improved,but there were no differences between groups.