Milk: An Alternative Beverage for Hydration?

Abstract

The hydration status of a physically active individual or athlete can influence his/her physical or mental performance. The degree of hypohydration may lead to serious health problems, and consequently to impair athletic performance. The consumption of water or carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages before, during and after exercise is essential to maintain fluid balance and prevent dehydration. Besides these drinks, research findings have pointed using bovine milk as an alternative to sports drinks to optimize hydration levels in athletes and physically active individuals. The nutritional composition of cow’s milk promotes post-exercise rehydration process, due to the natural presence of water and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. Although most studies have confirmed that bovine milk is a viable alternative for rehydration, recent studies have not reported significant differences between milk and some sports drinks for hydration process. Thus, milk consumption could be used as an alternative beverage for the hydration process.