Milk Muscle is a dietary supplement made by Cytosport. It is popular among athletes but also among college students and bodybuilders. As one of the more popular protein supplements, Muscle Milk is readily available in health food stores and even some grocery stores and drugs stores. As with all dietary supplements, Muscle Milk has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to cure, treat or prevent any disease. Discuss your fitness goals with your your doctor or a registered dietitian before using Muscle Milk.
What Is Muscle Milk?
Muscle Milk is a protein dietary supplement but can also be used as meal replacement supplement. The most popular form of Muscle Milk is a powder that is available in 21 different flavors according to Cytosport.com. Limited-edition flavors such as egg nog and pumpkin pie are made available during Christmas and Halloween, respectively. According to The Ohio State University and the National Library of Medicine, one serving or of Muscle Milk contains 18 g of fat, 12 g of carbohydrates and 32 g of protein, providing 350 total calories. The nutritional content remains consistent for the numerous flavors of Muscle Milk.
Muscle Milk Ingredients
Muscle Milk contains a mixture of casein and whey protein. According to Creighton University, whey protein is high in branched chain amino acids and will absorb very quickly in your body. New York University notes that casein protein absorbs at a slower rate, making it a good choice to consume before going to sleep. Muscle Milk contains over 20 vitamins and minerals. It does not contain lactose or trans fatty acids. Muscle Milk contain 6 g of fructose sugar per scoop. It is also sweetened with sucralose, a popular commercial sweetener.
Why does Muscle Milk have so much fat?
According to The Ohio State University, Muscle Milk contains a significant amount of fat because it is intended to mimic human breast milk. The ingredient "purified bovine colostrum extract" is powdered cow's milk. Although the 8 g of saturated fat may discourage you from using Muscle Milk, Cytosport claims that the saturated fat is in the form of medium chain-triglycerides, or MCTs, which your body is more likely to use as energy than store as fat. According to the University of Michigan, although MCTs are considered a source of fat, they behave more like a carbohydrate and are more easily absorbed by your body and burned off as energy.
Recommendation
Consult your doctor or a registered dietitian to determine your nutritional requirements and to see if Muscle Milk can benefit you. According to the University of California at Los Angeles, protein supplements are usually unnecessary. You can more than likely meet your protein and caloric goals with solid food alone. Illinois State University confirms this and notes that any excess amounts of protein that you consume and do not burn off as energy will be stored as fat. Special populations such athletes and seniors may require or benefit from a protein supplement, but most people will probably not.
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