Release claiming chocolate milk improves concussion symptoms in student athletes is out-of-bounds

Does the news release adequately discuss the costs of the intervention?

Not Satisfactory

The price of the chocolate milk product used in this study is not mentioned, even though it is being sold to schools.

Does the news release adequately quantify the benefits of the treatment/test/product/procedure?

Not Satisfactory

The release says that high school football players who drank the chocolate milk had higher scores after the season on nine of 36 measures in a computer-based concussion evaluation, and that among the players who suffered a concussion, those who were drinking the milk had improved scores on four measures compared to those who didn’t drink the milk. But the release doesn’t say how much difference there was or even which measures showed positive changes.

Does the news release adequately explain/quantify the harms of the intervention?

Not Satisfactory

Potential harms are not mentioned. While a chocolate milk product may seem benign, the release could have referred to the fact that each serving of this product contains as much sugar as the total daily intake of added sugar recommended for an adult man (and almost twice the amount recommended for women) by the American Heart Association. The release, which touts the protein, calcium and electrolyte content of the product, and notes that it is “fat-free”, should not have hidden the sugar content.

Then there is the harm of believing that downing chocolate milk could protect a teenager’s brain from harmful effects of a concussion. Concussions in high school football games and practices are especially dangerous, sometimes even fatal, when a player gets hit a second time within a few days after an initial concussion. If a belief in protective effects of chocolate milk lead to teenagers being put back in the game too soon after a hard hit, the consequences could be devastating.

Product label: http://dairymaiddairy.com/products/fifth-quarter-fresh/

AHA “Sugar 101” information sheet: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEating/Sugar-101_UCM_306024_Article.jsp

CDC Sports Concussion Policies and Laws: http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/policy/

Does the news release seem to grasp the quality of the evidence?

Not Satisfactory

The news release not only fails to explain the quality of the evidence, it misleads readers by highlighting claims that were not tested. For example, readers are led to believe that this chocolate milk product is somehow superior to other varieties of milk, but the study did not measure intake of other milk. The release does not even say whether the study included a placebo control. And about that “study”… according to a representative Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program, the research has not been peer-reviewed or published, so it has not been examined by any independent experts.

Does the news release identify funding sources & disclose conflicts of interest?

Not Satisfactory

It’s safe to assume that the Fifth Quarter Fresh company was closely involved, but the release does not explain the nature of the relationship. The release says the study was made possible by the Maryland Industrial Partnerships program, but it does not say whether Fifth Quarter Fresh provided any additional funding or free product. There are no disclosures about any relationships between the researchers and the company, including whether they could profit from any sales boost following the use of research results in marketing campaigns. Also, did the company have any involvement in the design, conduct or reporting of the study and its results? The release doesn’t say.

Does the news release compare the new approach with existing alternatives?

Not Satisfactory

The release promotes the belief that this chocolate milk product provides benefits that other products do not… yet the study did not actually compare this product to any others. The release mentions an earlier study that compared this product to “commercial workout recovery drinks”, but those drinks apparently did not include any other types of milk.

Does the news release establish the availability of the treatment/test/product/procedure?

Not Satisfactory

The release says the product is bottled by Dairy Maid Dairy, but there is no information about whether it is available in stores. Other news reports indicate that it is sold only to schools.

Does the news release establish the true novelty of the approach?

Not Satisfactory

There are other studies listed on www.PubMed.gov that look into the potential effects of chocolate milk on athletic performance. None of this background is mentioned in the release.

Even so, we fail to see how other athletic performance studies (conflicted as many are) and the lone study linked which looked at the effect of dietary branched chain amino acids on mice cognition, bolsters the claims of a study purportedly designed to look at concussion recovery in high school athletes.

Does the news release include unjustifiable, sensational language, including in the quotes of researchers?

Not Satisfactory

The release paints a picture of benefits that goes far beyond any specific research results that are provided. The most troubling comment comes from a local school official who says that based on this study the school district plans to provide this commercial milk product to all athletes, because “There is nothing more important than protecting our student-athletes”.