ALCOHOL AND EXERCISE: 7 TIPS FOR ATHLETES
Every year, about 10 liters of pure alcohol (ethanol) are consumed per capita in the United States. And indeed, athletes may well enjoy relaxing with a glass of wine or beer every now and then. But are alcohol and exercise a good combination?
Check out 7 tips so your good drinks don’t get in the way of your workouts and your fitness life in general.
1. MODERATION IS THE SOUL OF THE BUSINESS
If enjoyed in moderate amounts, alcohol is also “allowed” for professional or amateur athletes. However, there is no scientific consensus on where the line is between healthy alcohol consumption and the point at which it starts to affect your workouts.
We know, however, that women should drink less. This is due to reduced body mass, higher percentage of fat and lower enzyme activity (alcohol dehydrogenase). Because of the combination of these factors, female bodies digest alcohol less efficiently than male bodies.
What is the suggestion to limit daily alcohol consumption without putting your health at risk?
- 10g alcohol for women
- 20g of alcohol for men per day
In general, however, it is advisable to avoid daily consumption of alcohol when playing sports.
2. KEEP AN EYE ON CALORIES
Alcoholic drinks are caloric, but many people completely ignore this when calculating the total caloric intake. 1g of alcohol contains 7 calories. Just for comparison purposes, 1g of fat contains 9 calories. Therefore, 500ml of beer contains 200 calories. In practical terms: to “burn” this beer, it would take 30 minutes of running!
Calories we don’t burn are stored in the body, often causing overweight. In addition, cocktails containing condensed milk, sweetened syrups or colorings are especially high in fat and sugar – true calorie bombs among alcoholic beverages.
3. HYDRATE
Alcohol causes the body to excrete more water through kidney function, which can not only cause dehydration but also affect the balance of minerals in the body (eg potassium, magnesium and zinc). The lack of these minerals in the body leads to lower muscle performance, affecting your workouts.
To counteract this effect of alcohol, consume 1 glass of water with your dose of beer or wine. Not only does water make you feel fuller, thus reducing your alcohol consumption, it also contains no calories.
Remember to replace electrolytes and fluids that are lost in sweat during workouts. For this, isotonic drinks are ideal , which contain the same composition of salts as the body’s own fluids.
4. AVOID THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING INTENSE TRAINING PHASES AND COMPETITIONS
Scientists have discovered that even moderate alcohol intake can reduce muscle strength. In one study, men drank 1g of vodka with orange juice per kg of body weight after exercising. In general, for a man, this corresponds to 6 shots of vodka. Then, after 36h and 60h, they had to prove their strength while being compared to a control group. The study revealed that the strength values of the people who took the BAC test were significantly lower than those of the control group, despite allowing the two groups the same recovery time.
In practice, this indicates that, during periods of intense training or tests and competitions, the best strategy is to spend a few days without alcohol. Specifically for races, the ideal is not to consume any alcoholic beverage in the 48 hours prior to the start in order to have better chances of performing well and achieving your best results.
5. REGENERATE BETTER AND PREVENT INJURIES
There is no clear limit on how much alcohol passes to negatively affect bodily recovery. However, alcohol consumption is often linked to cramps, increased propensity for injury, and length of time required for healing.
In order not to risk, we repeat the recommendation: bet on non-alcoholic drinks during periods of intense training, or at times when your training requires a high mileage.
6. GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Excessive amounts of alcohol and clubbing affect your mental focus, stamina, hand-eye coordination and therefore your overall performance. Getting too little sleep and, on top of that, too much alcohol puts your body under stress. Think about the workouts and your routine and plan enough time for recovery!
7. BENEFITS OF NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER
Beer is often considered the ideal drink to replenish mineral salts and carbohydrates after a competition. And, really, it is necessary to recover these mineral salts and carbohydrates. However, the alcohol contained in beer slows down the body’s replenishment process, which is the prerequisite for recovery and for good performance in future training sessions. So go for the alcohol-free alternative!
Most non-alcoholic beers are isotonic, making them perfect for replenishing lost electrolytes and fluids. On the other hand, keep in mind that even non-alcoholic beer contains up to 0.5% alcohol. So, after your next tasting, try replacing what was lost with orange juice!
CONCLUSION
Occasional use of alcohol in moderation is no problem, even for athletes. However, alcohol generates effects on the body that need to be taken into account when the goal is to improve your performance, gain muscle or train for tests and sports competitions. Think about your priorities — and that goes for everything in life.
