After a workout, drinking a sugary recovery drink makes your blood sugar and insulin spike higher than if you drink nothing — and this happens the same way in men and women.

After a long workout, men and women refill their muscle energy stores at the same rate when they both drink the same recovery drink — even though women burn more fat during the workout.

A drink with sugar, a little protein, and a tiny bit of fat after a workout helps muscles recover energy, but not quite as well as a drink with just sugar.

After a long workout, drinking a sugary sports drink helps your muscles refill their energy stores much faster than not eating anything at all.