Chocolate milk may boost athletic endurance, suggests an Indiana University study that was partly funded by the US Dairy and Nutrition Council.

Researchers had a small group of fit athletes do hard workouts on a stationary bike, then drink either low-fat chocolate milk, a fluid replacement drink (Gatorade), or a carbohydrate replacement drink.

A few hours later, the athletes were told to ride the bike again until they were exhausted, the Associated Press reported.

The test was repeated three times, once with each type of beverage.

The study found participants exercised up to 54 percent longer after drinking chocolate milk than when they drank the carbohydrate drink. There was no significant difference between the milk and the fluid-replacement drink.

The findings that chocolate milk may help boost endurance are not conclusive, but do suggest that it's worth doing a larger study, dietician Mary Lee Chin (who does public relations work for the Western Dairy Council) told the AP.