Effects of protein drink temperature on leg muscle strength and muscle mass during a 4-week training period: A pilot study

Adequate post-exercise protein intake supports muscle recovery. Studies showed that hot drinks accelerate gastric emptying and enhance nutrient absorption. However, the effect of drink temperature on muscle strength and mass remains unclear. Therefore, this study conducted a 4-week intervention study and an acute study focusing on digestion rate. In Study 1, a 4-week parallel-group trial was conducted in 38 healthy adults without exercise habits, assigned to either a Cold ( 13C stable isotope breath test. In Study 1, an analysis of covariance, with pre-intervention values as covariates, revealed a significant group effect on post-intervention knee extensor strength in the right leg, with the Hot group showing 12% higher strength (35.7 ± 1.3 kgf, mean±standard error) compared to the Cold group (31.4 ± 1.2 kgf) (p = 0.017). There was no significant difference in muscle mass between the groups. In Study 2, the initial 13CO2 excretion rate was higher in the Hot group (p运动后充足的蛋白质摄入可促进肌肉恢复。既往研究显示，热饮能够加速胃排空并提升营养物质吸收效率，但饮品温度对肌肉力量与肌肉质量的影响尚未明确。为此，本研究开展了一项为期4周的干预研究与一项聚焦消化速率的急性研究。在研究1中，我们纳入38名无运动习惯的健康成年人，实施为期4周的平行组试验（parallel-group trial），受试者被分配至冷饮组，并完成13C稳定同位素呼吸测试（13C stable isotope breath test）。本研究以干预前数值作为协变量进行协方差分析（analysis of covariance），结果显示两组受试者干预后右腿膝伸肌力量存在显著组间差异：热饮组膝伸肌力量较冷饮组提升12%（热饮组：35.7±1.3千克力（kgf），均值±标准误（standard error）；冷饮组：31.4±1.2千克力），差异具有统计学意义（p = 0.017）。两组受试者的肌肉质量无显著差异。在研究2中，热饮组的初始13CO₂排泄速率更高（p