Palatability, Preference and Tolerance of Possible Recovery Beverages Following Exhaustive Exercise

Abstract

Post-exercise recovery drinks are being developed and marketed based on their nutritional content and ability to restore glycogen. Few studies have addressed the role that palatability and tolerance play in beverage consumption. PURPOSE: To determine palatability, tolerance and preference of a variety of recovery beverages after exhaustive exercise. METHODS: 12 elite male cyclists completed interval workouts (designed for complete glycogen depletion) followed by a 4h recovery and subsequent endurance trials to exhaustion. Immediately after the interval workout and 2h later, subjects received recovery drinks in a double-blind design. Drinks were water (WA), low-fat chocolate milk (CM), sport drink (SD), vanilla milk (VM), dark chocolate milk (DCM), and a water-based cocoa drink (CD). Milk drinks were given at 1 gm carbohydrate·kg−1 with remaining drinks matched for fluid volume. Subjects recorded hedonic (palatability) and GI symptoms (tolerance) using established Likert scales. Data were analyzed for degree of beverage palatability, tolerance, and preference. RESULTS: Subjects (11 of 12) liked CM and VM for appearance, taste/flavor, texture / consistency, aroma/smell, and overall quality. All subjects rejected CD for future use; more than half cited unacceptable texture, taste and aroma. ANOVA showed CD as less palatable (p<0.001) for each beverage characteristic compared to all other drinks. Moderate to strong correlations were found between overall acceptability (quality of drink) and likelihood to drink the beverage again for CM (r = 0.84, p=0.001), DCM (r= 0.77, p=0.03), VM (r = 0.77, p=0.003), SD (r = 0.73, p=0.1), and CD (r=−0.86, p<0.001). The only GI symptom reported with any severity was nausea (n = 5 with CD.) Based on overall GI symptom effect (nausea, bloating, gas, vomiting, cramping, diarrhea), CD (p<0.001) was poorly tolerated compared to other drinks. No association was observed between drink tolerance (GI symptoms) and endurance trial performance (time to exhaustion or total work) following drink ingestion. CONCLUSIONS: Low-fat milk-based recovery beverages are readily accepted and easily tolerated by athletes as recovery beverages, perhaps more so than sport drinks or water. Familiarity and palatability appear to drive future purchase of recovery beverages. Supported by The Hershey Company.