Thirty-five untrained women, average age 19, all of whom were considered calcium deficient because they got less than the minimum suggested daily intake of 800 milligrams of calcium, trained with weights for eight weeks. They were placed in three groups based on diet: yogurt, protein and carb.
The yogurt group ate three servings of yogurt containing 200 milligrams of calcium and 40 units of vitamin D per serving. The other two groups continued to follow their usual low-calcium diet.
Immediately after they trained, the yogurt group ate a serving of fat-free yogurt; the protein group drank a commercial sports drink that didn’t contain any calcium or vitamin D, just 19 grams of carbs and five grams of protein; and last group drank a carb-only beverage containing 25 grams of carbs. The yogurt serving and the drinks contained the same number of calories, 100 per serving.
As expected, the yogurt group boosted levels of calcium and vitamin D above the daily recommended allowances. While the groups were all getting similar amounts of protein in their diets, those in the yogurt group showed the greatest lean-mass gains. Though all the women lost bodyfat during the study (proving that weight training does stimulate fat loss), those in the yogurt group again came out on top. Finally, the yogurt group experienced the greatest strength gains, even though all of the subjects used the same exercise program.
Since all the groups got the same amount of protein, the greater progress made by those in the yogurt group indicates that the yogurt provided something that the others weren’t getting, namely added calcium and vitamin D.
Jerry Brainum
White, K., et al. (2007). Yogurt consumption during resistance training increases muscle mass and strength in young women. Presented at the 2007 ISSN conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.
ENERGY
Real-World Supplement Test
In a study presented at the 2007 International Society of Sports Nutrition conference, researchers tested the effects of having a preworkout energy drink on eight men who had weight-training experience. The study had a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, the gold standard for scientific studies.The subjects reported to the lab on five separate occasions. During the first visit they were tested for one-rep-maximum strength in the squat. During the second and third visits they familiarized themselves with the training protocol used in the study, which required doing six sets of 10 reps with 75 percent of their one-rep-maximum weight in the squat, taking a two-minute rest between sets.
The subjects then began a creatine-loading phase for one week, taking 20 grams a day—four teaspoons—of creatine while training on their usual routines. They then returned to the lab for their final two workouts. At that point, however, the subjects were randomly divided into groups that would get either a placebo or a supplement. The supplement consisted of a combination of branched-chain amino acids, creatine, taurine, caffeine and glucuronolactone, which is a common additive in many energy drinks. Ten minutes after downing the drinks, the subjects began the experimental training session. Blood was drawn from the subjects before, immediately following and 15 and 30 minutes after the workout.
The results were significantly different only during the fifth set, although the total number of reps and training volume were higher in the supplement group. The supplement group also showed higher levels of growth hormone and insulin immediately and 15 minutes after the workout than those in the placebo group. The researchers concluded that consuming an energy supplement enhances exercise performance while augmenting anabolic hormone responses.
Hoffman, J.R., et al. (2007). Effect of a pre-exercise energy supplement on the acute hormonal response to resistance exercise. Presented at the 2007 ISSN conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.
©,2013 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.
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