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The Nutritional Value of Musclemilk

Muscle Milk is a nutritional supplement developed by the company Cytosport. Cytosport claims that Muscle Milk was designed to closely resemble human mother's milk and help promote muscle growth and rapid recovery after exercise. The name Muscle Milk is applied to a variety of products ranging from powder supplements to ready to drink shakes to protein bars. These products are used to increase the intake of protein and other nutrients to maximize the effects of an intensive weight lifting program.

  1. Calories

    • Cytosport recommends using 1 to 2 level scoops of Muscle Milk powder mixed into a glass of water. This serving contains 150 calories per scoop although Cytosport does offer a lower calorie powder for those on calorie restricted diets. Muscle Milk Light powder is only 97.5 calories per scoop. This savings of 52.5 calories per scoop may seem insignificant but these calories will add up quickly for those who consume multiple servings of Muscle Milk throughout the day to supplement normal meals.

    Protein

    • One scoop of Muscle Milk provides 16 g of protein and Muscle Milk Light contains slightly less with 12.5 g of protein. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a minimum of .68 g of protein per pound of body weight is required to build muscle mass. Those who are seeking to reduce body fat while building muscle will need even more protein, up to .9 g per pound of body weight. This means that a 160 pound man seeking to increase muscle mass will need to consume between 108 and 144 g of protein each day. Muscle Milk provides one way to meet these protein goals.

    Fat

    • The USDA dietary guidelines recommend that 20 to 35 percent of total calories come from fat. Muscle Milk is slightly high in fat considering that 55 of the 150 calories per serving are fat calories. Half of the fat in Muscle Milk is saturated fat, which the USDA recommends avoiding. The amount of fat and saturated fat in Muscle Milk can fit into a healthy diet as long as care is taken to plan out proper meals throughout the rest of the day.

    Carbohydrates

    • Muscle Milk contains complex carbohydrates that help promote muscle growth and development. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, carbohydrates are necessary to fuel muscles during workouts. Muscle Milk provides these carbohydrates as well as 2.5 g of dietary fiber per serving. Dietary fiber is a type of indigestible carbohydrate and is important to maintain a healthy digestive tract.

    Micronutrients

    • Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that the body requires to maintain good health. For those following a 2000 calorie diet, Muscle Milk supplies 15 perce t of the USDA's recommended amount of the following micronutrients; Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin Pantothenic acid, Calcium, Iron, Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, and Copper. Muscle Milk also includes 40 percent of the recommended amount of Chromium, 12 percent Potassium, and 20 percent Phosphorous.

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