Chocolate milk significantly reduced serum lactate levels compared to other recovery drinks: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

IF 2.7 Q3 ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM

Human Nutrition and Metabolism Pub Date : 2025-12-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-03 DOI:10.1016/j.hnm.2025.200343

Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi , Abbas Maghsoudifar , Ghazaleh Eslamian

{"title":"Chocolate milk significantly reduced serum lactate levels compared to other recovery drinks: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi , Abbas Maghsoudifar , Ghazaleh Eslamian","doi":"10.1016/j.hnm.2025.200343","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chocolate milk (CM) is a widely used recovery beverage among athletes due to its favorable nutritional profile and hydration properties. However, its effects on different recovery markers after exercise remain unclear. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing CM's impact on recovery indices.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A comprehensive search of Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted up to April 2025 for RCTs administering CM to healthy adults post-exercise. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for outcomes including body weight, serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate, myoglobin, cortisol, plasma glucose, and insulin. Subgroup, sensitivity, meta-regression, and dose-response analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity sources and moderator effects.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixteen RCTs (200 participants) were included in the systematic review, and 12 RCTs (140 participants) were analyzed quantitatively. CM showed no significant effect on body weight (WMD: 0.18 kg, 95 % CI: -0.10 to 0.47, P = 0.20) or serum CK (WMD: -52.40 U/L, 95 % CI: -129.27 to 24.48, P = 0.18) compared to other recovery drinks. However, CM significantly reduced serum lactate levels (WMD: -0.75 mmol/L, 95 % CI: -1.19 to -0.31, P = 0.01), particularly in endurance athletes and U.S.-based studies. Additionally, CM decreased cortisol levels in studies conducted in the USA (WMD: -642.39 pmol/L, 95 % CI: -937.21 to -347.56, P < 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>CM provides similar recovery benefits compared to other drinks but significantly lowers serum lactate. Further RCTs are needed to clarify optimal dosing strategies and assess its effects on additional recovery biomarkers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36125,"journal":{"name":"Human Nutrition and Metabolism","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 200343"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Human Nutrition and Metabolism","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666149725000477","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/10/3 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Chocolate milk (CM) is a widely used recovery beverage among athletes due to its favorable nutritional profile and hydration properties. However, its effects on different recovery markers after exercise remain unclear. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing CM's impact on recovery indices.

Methods

A comprehensive search of Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted up to April 2025 for RCTs administering CM to healthy adults post-exercise. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for outcomes including body weight, serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate, myoglobin, cortisol, plasma glucose, and insulin. Subgroup, sensitivity, meta-regression, and dose-response analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity sources and moderator effects.

Results

Sixteen RCTs (200 participants) were included in the systematic review, and 12 RCTs (140 participants) were analyzed quantitatively. CM showed no significant effect on body weight (WMD: 0.18 kg, 95 % CI: -0.10 to 0.47, P = 0.20) or serum CK (WMD: -52.40 U/L, 95 % CI: -129.27 to 24.48, P = 0.18) compared to other recovery drinks. However, CM significantly reduced serum lactate levels (WMD: -0.75 mmol/L, 95 % CI: -1.19 to -0.31, P = 0.01), particularly in endurance athletes and U.S.-based studies. Additionally, CM decreased cortisol levels in studies conducted in the USA (WMD: -642.39 pmol/L, 95 % CI: -937.21 to -347.56, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

CM provides similar recovery benefits compared to other drinks but significantly lowers serum lactate. Further RCTs are needed to clarify optimal dosing strategies and assess its effects on additional recovery biomarkers.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

与其他恢复性饮料相比，巧克力牛奶显著降低了血清乳酸水平：一项随机对照试验的综合系统回顾和荟萃分析

巧克力牛奶（CM）是一种被运动员广泛使用的恢复饮料，因为它具有良好的营养成分和水合特性。然而，它对运动后不同恢复指标的影响尚不清楚。本研究旨在系统回顾和荟萃分析评估CM对恢复指标影响的随机对照试验（rct）。方法综合检索截至2025年4月的Web of Science、PubMed、Embase和Scopus数据库，对健康成人运动后给予CM的随机对照试验进行分析。对体重、血清肌酸激酶（CK）、乳酸、肌红蛋白、皮质醇、血浆葡萄糖和胰岛素等结果计算加权平均差异（wmd）和95%置信区间（CIs）。通过亚组分析、敏感性分析、meta回归分析和剂量-反应分析来探索异质性来源和调节效应。结果纳入16项随机对照试验（200名受试者），对12项随机对照试验（140名受试者）进行定量分析。与其他恢复性饮料相比，CM对体重（WMD: 0.18 kg, 95% CI: -0.10 ~ 0.47, P = 0.20）或血清CK （WMD: -52.40 U/L, 95% CI: -129.27 ~ 24.48, P = 0.18）无显著影响。然而，CM显著降低血清乳酸水平（WMD: -0.75 mmol/L, 95% CI: -1.19至-0.31,P = 0.01），特别是在耐力运动员和基于美国的研究中。此外，在美国进行的研究中，CM降低了皮质醇水平（WMD: -642.39 pmol/L, 95% CI: -937.21至-347.56,P < 0.001）。结论与其他饮料相比，scm具有相似的恢复作用，但显著降低血清乳酸。需要进一步的随机对照试验来阐明最佳给药策略，并评估其对其他恢复生物标志物的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊