Oh, milk. We thought you always did a body good! But there are better ways for men to recover after a workout.
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So you’ve decided that this is your time, you’re going to get in shape, increase your muscle mass and fitness, and achieve the health goals you’ve always known you could.
You’ve joined a gym, you’re actually going to go, and you and healthy eating are going to be best buds! Good for you!
Most recently you’ve seen the marketing campaign: Chocolate milk, the “Original Recovery Drink,” with high-quality proteins that support muscle recovery after a tough work-out. You make a note to pick some up at the grocery store, after all, “it does a body good!”
The question is, does it do YOUR body good?
There are many concerns about the health of dairy products these days, with some choosing to omit it from their diets and others who cannot praise it enough. The truth is, when it comes to dairy one size does not fit all, especially when it comes to men’s health and fitness.
In addition to being a great source of carbohydrates, fats, and vitamin D, an 8oz glass of skim milk contains 8.5 grams of protein, great when looking to increase protein in your diet for everything from muscle building and recovery, weight loss, and overall general health.
While for some a glass of milk may be the best thing to grab after hitting the gym, for others, that same glass has them rushing to the nearest bathroom stall, feeling bloated and gassy, or in confusion as to why the acne from their teenage years has decided to make a comeback.
If this is you then you might want to reconsider before you grab that cold glass of milk after leg day at the gym.
Here are my three reasons why you should consider if milk is doing YOUR body good:
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You might be reacting to dairy:
To maximize your workouts you’ve found the latest whey protein powder (whey is one of the main proteins in milk) at your local health food store and you’ve already begun to scoop your way to protein heaven. However, you’ve also found since the onset of supplementation you’ve been feeling tired, bloated, and constipated. Any coincidence?
Food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities describe different ways our bodies can react to certain foods. These reactions can vary; for some a glass of milk necessitates a mad dash to the loo, for others the Monday after a weekend trip to the buffet may leave their digestive system feeling a little sluggish. There are 3 common ways your body may be trying to tell you that you have a problem with dairy:
- Allergies: Involve immune system reactions that occur almost immediately after consuming the reactive food (dairy) and are usually more severe in nature. Food allergies involve an IgE immune response (aka. Type I Hypersensitivity/ Anaphylactic reaction) and reactions can lead to an inflammatory response (red, swollen, itchy) that varies from uncomfortable to life threatening.
- Intolerance: Affect people who lack the enzymes required to break down the proteins and sugars (lactose) in dairy products. When we cannot break down these molecules into smaller units, our bodies are unable to absorb them adequately and this can result in symptoms including explosive diarrhea, excessive gas, low energy and fatigue, dehydration, and/or malnutrition.
- Dairy sensitivities: Food sensitivities are classified as hypersensitivity immune responses (IgG) and occur when a sensitized person repeatedly eats dairy over a short period of time (1-3 days). Reactions are not always immediate, but may occur hours to days after consuming the reactive food. Symptoms are typically more gradual, non-specific, and dose-dependent and can include migraines and “brain fog,” chronic digestive concerns (constipation, diarrhea, excessive gas, IBS, IBD), skin issues (acne, eczema, atopic dermatitis) low energy, weight gain, and joint pain.
While whey isolate protein is typically the most absorbable and best source when it comes to limiting muscle breakdown and supporting muscle repair after a workout if you’re body is reacting to whey you may want to give some alternatives a try:
- Soy: A complete plant-based protein, soy is a great option for vegans or for those who are lactose intolerant.
- Pea: Pea protein is a highly digestible plant based protein. It is not considered a complete protein and should be paired with other vegan protein sources, such as brown rice or hemp.
- Brown Rice: Brown rice protein is hypo-allergic and easily digested. It is a great alternative for those with allergies to soy or dairy.
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Hormones in Milk:
When it comes to increasing muscle mass we all know that testosterone is king. This hormone affects nearly every cell in the male body and is needed for improvements not only in muscle mass but in bone density, cognition, blood glucose levels as well as reproductive health (3, 5).
The good news is that dairy products are high in saturated fat and vitamin D, important for testosterone production. The bad news: the exogenous estrogens in milk products can disrupt the male testosterone to estrogen hormone balance, resulting in loss of muscle mass, fatigue, low libido, erectile dysfunction and well as increased levels of body fat (6, 8, 7).
Research has shown that exposure to estrogens in commercial milk may significantly increase estrogen and decrease testosterone levels in men, and is linked to prostate cancer, lower sperm concentrations, as well as seminomatous testicular cancer (2, 1, 4).
While more research is needed, reducing your dairy consumption, or improving your body’s detoxification pathways, may be in order to maintain a healthy hormonal balance.
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The calcium misconception:
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and if you’re looking to enhance your athletic performance look no further as it is needed for muscle contractions and to establish a strong bone foundation resistant to fractures. We all know that milk and dairy products are the best place to get the calcium men need to support their exercise and fitness goals, right?
While dairy is a significant source of calcium, with 300mg available in an 8oz glass, it’s a misconception that cow’s milk is the BEST source. Although it is high in calcium, limiting dairy will NOT lead to calcium deficiency.
The average male needs approximately 1000mg of calcium per day and you can easily achieve this by having:
- Leafy greens (ie. kale, collard greens, spinach, arugula)
- Soy (milk, tofu)
- Raw figs
- Fortified beverages
- Multi-grains
- Fish
- Bone broth
- Black strap molasses
Did you know that tahini (sesame seed paste) has an average of 130mg of calcium in just 2 tbsp (9)! See a full list of calcium-rich foods HERE.
I’m so glad you’ve made the decision to get healthier! Getting to the gym and eating better will help you increase muscle mass and strength are definitely great ways to improve your overall health, both now and in your far-reaching future.
And while milk and dairy products might be just the tool to help you achieve these goals, if you find you have symptoms that might suggest that dairy may not be your best gym partner it might be time to say “moooove” over milk. In fact, it just might do your body better.
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Source: 30dB.com – Chocolate Milk and Recovery
Photo: Guy Montag/Flickr
References:
1. Afeiche MC Dairy intake and semen quality among men attending a fertility clinic. Fertil Steril. 2014 May;101(5):1280-7. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.02.003. Epub 2014 Mar 14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636397
2. Qin, LQ et al (2004). Estrogen: one of the risk factors in milk for prostate cancer. Med Hypotheses. 2004;62(1):133-42 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14729019
- Rice D et al. Men’s health, low testosterone, and diabetes: individulaized treatment and a multidisciplinary approach. Diabetes Educ.2008 Nov-Dec;34 Suppl 5:97S-112S; quiz 113S-4S. doi: 10.1177/0145721708327143.
- Stang A et al. Adolescent milk fat and galactose consumption and testicular germ cell cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev.2006 Nov;15(11):2189-95. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17119045
- Snyder PJ et al . Effect of testosterone treatment on bone mineral density in men over 65 years of age. J Clin Endocrinol Metab.1999 Jun;84(6):1966-72. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10372695
6.Travison et al. The Relationship between Libido and Testosterone Levels in Aging Men. JCEM (2006). http://press.endocrine.org/doi/full/10.1210/jc.2005-2508
7. Understanding How Testosterone Affects Men. National Institute of Health.
http://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/understanding-how-testosterone-affects-men. Accessed April 2016.
- Yuki A et al. Sci Rep.2013;3:1818. doi: 10.1038/srep01818.
Relationship between low free testosterone levels and loss of muscle mass. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23660939
- Food Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D. HealthLinkBC. http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile68e.stm. Accessed April 2016.
Protein and a fast-digesting sugar to spike insulin should be on your list. You should also consider a few other supplements: Whey Protein Isolate, Creatine, Glutamine, Caffeine, and Sugar. You can get more advice from this site: https://goo.gl/UPLfCo