Enjoy it on a social level.

But don’t forget to consider the effect of alcohol on the body.

How does alcohol really affect fitness after all?

I’m sorry to report that the late night G&Ts don’t do your performance any good at all. In fact, the research suggests that consuming alcohol is detrimental to performance and recovery.

Believe it or not though, for a time it was believed that alcohol in small amounts could help improve athletic performance!

Since then, many studies, including this one, titled Alcohol And Its Effects On Sprint & Middle Distance Running found that alcohol is detrimental. Even if you usually drink moderately, but go wild to celebrate once in a while.

That binge drinking makes a difference — and not a positive one.

The effect of alcohol on the body

Small amounts of alcohol added to our diet limits the ability of the our liver and muscles to retain glycogen (an important energy store for your body) by almost 50% after eight hours.

That’s pretty significant.

So no matter what sport you do, this presents a significant problem.

Other negative effects of alcohol consumption on the body include:

§  Reduced reaction time

§  Motor control impairment

§  Impaired judgement

§  Impaired memory

§  Disruption to sleep patterns

§  Liver function damage

§  Hypoglycemia

§  Raised blood pressure

§  Dehydration

§  Restricted ability for the heart’s to contract during exercise

§  Impaired body temperature regulation

The list goes on.

The effects of alcohol on recovery

Consuming large amounts of alcohol after an event — like when we celebrate a marathon with a few beers — can negatively affect our ability to recover.

You’re probably familiar with the “marathon stairs test” right? You know the one. Your legs are so stiff and sore it’s like you’ve got two short planks down the legs of your pants making it impossible to climb the stairs or sit on that toilet.

Forget about going down stairs in the normal fashion. Many a marathon runner has had to resort to sleeping on the living room couch for three days until they could bend their knees again! The effect of alcohol on the body will only make this worse.

Drinking your head off after the race might feel good in the moment, but it won’t aid your recovery one little bit.

One thing to consider that alcohol actually causes additional inflammation, reducing our ability to adequately recover from strenuous exercise.

To further explain, suggest that alcohol can affect the body’s ability to recover in the following ways:

§  Limits the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients like B1, B12, Folic Acid and Zinc

§  Constricts aerobic metabolism

§  Alcohol sugars are converted into fatty acids (not good for recovery)

§  Lowers oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood

§  Alcohol causes dehydration which can exacerbate muscle strains and niggles

 

If you want to perform to your best and live a healthy and active life, there’s no place for over-indulgence in alcohol.

Everything in moderation!