In this write-up, I will answer the question of, "Can you drink strictly milk in place of water?"
For those who don't like reading I'll spare you a few minutes...the answer is YES YOU CAN, AND YOU SHOULD. Here's why...
We all know the importance of staying hydrated, ESPECIALLY bodybuilders, strength athletes, and other fitness professionals/enthusiasts, who need to take in more hydration than the average person. The gold standard for hydrating has always been water or sports drinks.
HOWEVER...
Studies show that plain old cows milk is actually BETTER at hydrating you than water or even sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.).
(See studies below)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25315686/
https://www.mcmaster.ca/opr/html/opr/me ... rstudy.htm
According to studies cow's milk has a better electrolyte profile than sports drinks, containing a solid helping of many of the body's essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
^^^Not only that, but milk also has a decent amount of sugars (lactose) which breaks down into galactose, and then into glucose which is perfect for glycogen replenishment post workout. And because milk has a rather low glycemic index, you can consume it throughout the day without having to worry about sugar/insulin spikes. The sugars in milk also help keep you hydrated longer, and can help you hit your macros when bulking.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! - Milk also contains fats (except skim) which also play a role in keeping the body hydrated longer, and can also help you hit your macros when bulking.
WE'RE NOT FINISHED YET! - Milk also contains a very solid protein profile, containing anywhere from 6-15g of protein (or more) per 8oz serving. The protein in milk consists of about 80% Casein (a slow digesting protein, ideal for providing steady protein release throughout several hours), and 20% Whey (a fast acting protein with a nearly perfect amino acid profile for muscle building and repair). And of course this protein counts towards your macros.
To sum it all up,
-Milk hydrates better than water or sports drinks (better electrolyte profile)
-Milk contains sugars to help with glycogen replenishment post workout.
-Milk contains fats which also aids in staying hydrated and is great for added calories during a bulk.
-Milk contains quality slow & fast digesting proteins ideal for muscle building and steady supply of amino acids throughout the day.
You can even find milk with better protein-to-sugar ratios than standard milk. This is the brand of milk I drink. It contains nearly double the protein and half he sugar as regular milk.
Based on the above information, the conclusion is YES YOU CAN AND ABSOLUTELY SHOULD DRINK MILK AS YOUR SOLE METHOD OF HYDRATION IN PLACE OF WATER...(at least on a bulk. You may not want those fats and sugars when cutting).
Why drink just water when you can kill two birds with one stone? Drink milk and you can hydrate while building muscle. Think about how much more protein and overall calories you could take in by switching water for milk. All you hard-gainers and those with bird-appetites, this could be just what you need to get those extra calories in.
For those who don't like reading I'll spare you a few minutes...the answer is YES YOU CAN, AND YOU SHOULD. Here's why...
We all know the importance of staying hydrated, ESPECIALLY bodybuilders, strength athletes, and other fitness professionals/enthusiasts, who need to take in more hydration than the average person. The gold standard for hydrating has always been water or sports drinks.
HOWEVER...
Studies show that plain old cows milk is actually BETTER at hydrating you than water or even sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.).
(See studies below)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25315686/
https://www.mcmaster.ca/opr/html/opr/me ... rstudy.htm
According to studies cow's milk has a better electrolyte profile than sports drinks, containing a solid helping of many of the body's essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
^^^Not only that, but milk also has a decent amount of sugars (lactose) which breaks down into galactose, and then into glucose which is perfect for glycogen replenishment post workout. And because milk has a rather low glycemic index, you can consume it throughout the day without having to worry about sugar/insulin spikes. The sugars in milk also help keep you hydrated longer, and can help you hit your macros when bulking.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! - Milk also contains fats (except skim) which also play a role in keeping the body hydrated longer, and can also help you hit your macros when bulking.
WE'RE NOT FINISHED YET! - Milk also contains a very solid protein profile, containing anywhere from 6-15g of protein (or more) per 8oz serving. The protein in milk consists of about 80% Casein (a slow digesting protein, ideal for providing steady protein release throughout several hours), and 20% Whey (a fast acting protein with a nearly perfect amino acid profile for muscle building and repair). And of course this protein counts towards your macros.
To sum it all up,
-Milk hydrates better than water or sports drinks (better electrolyte profile)
-Milk contains sugars to help with glycogen replenishment post workout.
-Milk contains fats which also aids in staying hydrated and is great for added calories during a bulk.
-Milk contains quality slow & fast digesting proteins ideal for muscle building and steady supply of amino acids throughout the day.
You can even find milk with better protein-to-sugar ratios than standard milk. This is the brand of milk I drink. It contains nearly double the protein and half he sugar as regular milk.
Based on the above information, the conclusion is YES YOU CAN AND ABSOLUTELY SHOULD DRINK MILK AS YOUR SOLE METHOD OF HYDRATION IN PLACE OF WATER...(at least on a bulk. You may not want those fats and sugars when cutting).
Why drink just water when you can kill two birds with one stone? Drink milk and you can hydrate while building muscle. Think about how much more protein and overall calories you could take in by switching water for milk. All you hard-gainers and those with bird-appetites, this could be just what you need to get those extra calories in.
