We all know the importance of staying hydrated and how crucial it is to up your fluid intake after exercise. If you’re doing it right, you’re probably losing sweat as you exert yourself – something which needs to be replaced to keep you healthy. Even if you’re not a fitness fanatic, the NHS recommends that everyone gets around 1.2 litres of water a day. However, a recent study conducted by scientists at Loughborough, Bangour and (our neighbours) Stirling University has shown that water may well have a competitor in the rehydration stakes…
The white stuff
That’s right, milk could actually be a better choice of post-gym sesh drink than water. In their study, these scientists took several commonly drunk beverages and measured their ability and efficiency at hydrating and found that milk was significantly better at keeping people hydrated than water. The researchers found that some liquids lasted longer in the body than others and therefore offer better hydration, after all if you drink a glass of water half of that water is immediately lost once you go to the bathroom.
Why is milk better at hydrating us?
Compared with water, milk is of course higher in nutrients and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and protein. Normally when we drink, our body immediately reacts by telling the kidneys to start producing more urine in order to get rid of the extra water. However with a nutrient dense drink like milk, it takes longer to pass through our body and keeps us more hydrated in the process. Dr Galloway, one of the key members of the research team stated that, “In our trial drinking milk or an oral hydration solution helped people retain a third of fluid they consumed over a two hour follow-up period and remain hydrated for over four hours. If this was indexed next to water and other drinks, it may help people make a better decision about the fluids they consume. In particular, this applies to people who want to stay hydrated but are unable to take frequent toilet breaks, or do not have regular access to fluids throughout their day.”
Recovery
A fantastic side effect of picking up a carton of fresh milk to enjoy after your workout is the protein you’ll gain! Protein volumes differ from milk to milk but it’s safe to say your aching muscles will thank you for that extra boost.
So, what do you think? Have any of our readers tried this trick with Graham’s milk? We’ve had a few messages from customers who seem to like the nutrition our Gold Top milk offers them. Get in touch if you’ve tried it to let us know how it went!
