The effect of 8-weeks of combined resistance training and chocolate milk consumption on maximal strength, muscle thickness, peak power and lean mass, untrained, university-aged males

Hakan Yapici; Mehmet Gülü; Fatma Hilal Yagin; Dondu Ugurlu; Ertan Comertpay; Oguz Eroglu; Melike Kocoğlu; Monira I Aldhahi; Raci Karayigit; Sameer Badri Al-Mhanna

doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1148494

The effect of 8-weeks of combined resistance training and chocolate milk consumption on maximal strength, muscle thickness, peak power and lean mass, untrained, university-aged males

Front Physiol. 2023 Mar 15:14:1148494. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1148494. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Türkiye.
² Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Türkiye.
³ Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Türkiye.
⁴ Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Türkiye.
⁵ Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Coaching Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye.
⁷ Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.

Abstract

The overarching aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of chocolate milk consumption (500 mL) with 8-week of resistance training on muscle hypertrophy, body composition, and maximal strength in untrained healthy men. A total of 22 Participants were randomly divided into two experimental groups: combined resistance training (3 sessions per week for 8 weeks) and chocolate milk consumptions (include 30 g protein) Resistance Training Chocolate Milk (RTCM) (Age: 20.9 ± 0.9 years old) and resistance training (RT) only (Age: 19.8 ± 0.7 years old). Muscle thickness (MT), using a portable ultrasound, body composition, body mass, maximal strength (one repetition maximum (1 RM), counter movement jump (CMJ) and peak power (PP) were determined at baseline and 8 weeks later. In the RTCM, finding showed a significant improvement in the outcomes compared to the RT group, besides the main effect of time (pre and post). The 1 RM total increased by 36.7% in RTCM group compared to 17.6% increased in the RT group (p < 0.001). Muscle thickness increased by 20.8% in the RTCM group and 9.1% in the RT group (p < 0.001). In the RTCM group, the PP increased by 37.8% compared to only 13.8% increase in the RT group (p = 0.001). The group*time interaction effect was significant for MT, 1RM, CMJ, and PP (p < 0.05), and it was observed that the RTCM and the 8-week resistance training protocol maximized performance. Body fat percentage (%) decreased more in the RTCM (18.9%) group than in the RT (6.7%) group (p = 0.002). In conclusion, chocolate milk (500 mL) with high protein content consumed in addition to resistance training provided superior gains in terms of MT, 1 RM, body composition, CMJ, and PP. The finding of the study demonstrated the positive effect of casein-based protein (chocolate milk) and resistance training on the muscle performance. Chocolate milk consumption has a more positive effect on muscle strength when combined with RT and should be considered as a suitable post-exercise nutritional supplement. Future research could be conducted with a larger number of participants of different ages and longer study durations.

Keywords: exercise; muscle hypertrophy; strength training; supplementation; ultrasound.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2023R 286), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.