Is milk bad for your muscles or is it actually good for your muscles? Can milk help build muscle or does it not really do much? Read on to find out!
What is in milk?
Milk contains many good nutrients. It contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates and is also a source of vitamin B2, B12 and calcium. In addition, it also contains a number of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and potassium. By drinking milk you already have an average of 60% of the recommended daily amount of calcium and 40% of vitamin B12.
Dairy products such as milk are therefore also part of the five-year bracket in the Netherlands. Whole milk contains more saturated fatty acids than semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. This is determined by the food the cows get, and no, it is not that one type of cow gives full milk and the other gives semi-skimmed or skimmed milk! If the cows are given grass or oil in their feed, the fat content increases.
Is milk good or bad for your muscles?
Milk is naturally a healthy product, but it can also be used as sports nutrition. Milk contains nutrients that athletes need in order to recover properly. The proteins in milk stimulate the growth of muscle mass and its maintenance. These proteins are also quickly absorbed into the body. So milk is not bad for your muscles.
Milk for muscle building?
Milk contains proteins, which proteins can help build muscle mass and repair it. Milk also contains all 9 essential amino acids in a good amount and ratio, which helps build bodily proteins.
A glass of skimmed milk contains the most proteins, followed by semi-skimmed milk and finally whole milk. Below you can see how much protein is in each of these types of milk.
| Type of milk | Number of proteins (per 250 ml) |
|---|---|
| Skim milk | 9.3 grams |
| Semi-skimmed milk | 8.5 grams |
| Full Milk | 8.2 grams |
Milk does not have a very high protein value per 100 ml (3.5-3.7 g/100 ml). Although you compare this with low-fat cottage cheese, which has 9 grams of protein per 100 ml, or cottage cheese, which contains 11 grams of protein per 100 ml.
But the great thing is that you can eat it very easily, unlike cottage cheese, for example. So it is ideal to get your protein quickly.
The minerals in milk can help with muscle growth, some of which are also essential for your health. Below is shown which minerals are in milk and what their benefits are when looking at muscle growth:
Calcium: Is the primary mineral involved in muscle contraction, making it crucial in the process of muscle growth.
Potassium: Regulates body fluids and plays an important role in regulating nerve and muscle cells that ensure muscle contraction.
Phosphorus: Produces energy-rich molecules such as adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate, which can improve physical performance.
Magnesium: Ensures that your muscles can function properly, supports your energy level by releasing energy from your food.
Zinc: Plays a role in muscle protein synthesis. It has an effect on muscle growth, recovery of your muscles and protects your recently built muscle mass. Zinc also contributes to the maintenance of testosterone levels, which has an important effect on muscle growth.
The proteins in milk will contribute to the recovery of your muscles, stimulate muscle production and prevent muscle breakdown. In addition to all these muscle-related benefits, there are also other benefits:
- Milk can help reduce muscle pain after exercise
- It contributes to restoring the moisture balance
- It can help you replenish your glycogen stores in your muscles
Conclusion
The conclusion of this blog is that milk is not bad for your muscles, but actually good! The protein in milk helps your muscles recover better, but also helps you build muscle and finally prevent muscle breakdown. The minerals help with muscle contraction, ATP production, muscle protein synthesis and maintenance of testosterone levels.