Time for tea

A cup of tea after your workout may be better for muscle recovery than whey protein supplements.

Whey protein, in the form of bars and shakes, has become one of the most popular supplements for men and women to take after exercise to help speed up their recovery, but a recent study has shown we might be better off simply pouring ourselves a cup of tea.

The study, published in the journal ‘Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise’, used mice that were exercised in such a way as to replicate downhill running, which is known to put particular stress on muscles. The researchers measured the effects of giving the mice catechins, natural substances abundant in green tea, and observed how this affected their running.

Some very significant results were found, which will undoubtedly cause excitement amongst those who play sport or go to the gym. When supplemented with catechins, the mice appeared not be as affected as much by strenuous exercise and after hard exercise their muscles had less of a reduction in power and the animals continued to exercise for longer.

Perhaps even more significant was the fact that the scientists measured a substance called creatine phosphokinase (CK) in the animal’s blood. CK is a marker of muscle damage and when the mice were given catechins is was seen to be reduced by a massive 52% after exercise, compared to when they didn’t have the catechins.

This is particularly interesting as studies using whey protein supplements 2,3 have often found the protein has little or no effect on CK levels pointing towards the concept that green tea could help our muscles recover quicker after exercise than some of the more conventional supplements we’re used to.

Which Green Tea?

A Green Tea Blend from Natur Boutique has been specifically created to harness the benefits of green tea in the tastiest and healthiest way possible.

The blend combines green tea with the rare and exotic Java tea (Orthosiphon stamineus), which is a powerful antioxidant. It’s well known that during exercise the body produces oxygen free radicals, one of the main culprits thought to be behind aging, and anti-oxidants, such as those found in java tea, can help mop these up. Java tea has also been seen to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

The blend also contains Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) offering a diet friendly sweetness to the tea.

So if you want to add Green Tea to your training regime, simply visit naturboutique,co.uk where the Green Tea Blend costs just £2.99.

Please note: Those with high blood pressure or pregnant women should consult a doctor before using liquorice products.