Alcohol and Athletic Performance

So it's the weekend and you decide you want to few drinks, or tough day at the office, as most of us like to partake in a drink here and there let's look at some of the effects alcohol has on our body and mind.  Taking a bird's eye view will help us decide if and how much alcohol consumption is getting us towards our goal. 
Alcohol is a diuretic, drinking too much can lead to dehydration because the alcohol makes your kidney produce more urine. Exercising soon after drinking alcohol can make this dehydration worse because you sweat as your body temperature rises. Combined, sweating and the diuretic effect of exercise make dehydration much more likely. You need to be hydrated when you exercise to maintain the flow of blood through your body, which is essential for circulating oxygen and nutrients to your muscles.  We constantly stress how important it is to stay hydrated for optimal performance in recovery so understanding alcohol works against you keep it in mind when consuming it. 

Alcohol interferes with the way your body makes energy. When you’re metabolising, or breaking down alcohol, the liver can’t produce as much glucose, which means you have low levels of blood sugar. Exercise requires high levels of sugar to give you energy. If your liver isn’t producing enough glucose, your performance will be adversely affected. “If your body is forced to run from your supplies of fat rather than blood sugar, you will be slower and have less energy and won’t be able to exercise as intensely.

 Finally keep in mind that  performance will be hindered the day after you've been out with a few drinks. This also goes for general recovery and injury recovery. As you dial a blood vessels and increase inflammation with alcohol consumption it will  definitely decrease your recovery. 

 We will take a look at upcoming posts at the differences between liquor, beer and wine and as always please let us know if we can answer any questions or post about subjects you want to hear about.