Alcohol should not be consumed before or after exercise – 7/9/2023 – Equilíbrio

You’re at brunch with friends, and mimosa cocktails are on the house. You are tempted, but intend to go for a run later. What to do? If you drink the cocktail, will it ruin your workout?

Despite the popularity of events that combine training with alcohol, experts in exercise physiology and nutrition strongly advise against consuming alcohol before, during or after exercise.

Not only does alcohol affect physical performance, it “can make your workouts seem a whole lot harder,” notes Amy Stephens, a sports nutritionist for the New York University track team. “It’s like trying to do that same workout while going up a steep hill.”

According to Jennifer Sacheck-Ward, director of the department of exercise science and nutrition at George Washington University, few rigorous clinical trials have so far studied the effect of alcohol on exercise. But there’s research indicating that mixing the two can counteract many of the health benefits of exercise — or even leave you worse off than if you hadn’t exercised in the first place.

However, if you like to drink and like to exercise, sooner or later you may find yourself thinking about having a cocktail before or after a workout or sporting event. Below are five tips from exercise and nutrition experts on the most strategic ways to do both.

Timing is important

Drinking after a workout is slightly less bad than drinking before a workout, points out Sacheck-Ward. But, one way or another, space out activities as much as you can. Drinking alcohol immediately before (or during) it can dehydrate you, raise your heart rate, make you tired in less time, slow your reflexes, and all in all, make you feel awful.

Aim to wait at least four hours between drinking alcohol and exercising, recommends Stephens — but be aware that it will take your body 25 hours to completely eliminate the alcohol.

Quantity makes a difference

Alcohol tolerance varies from one person to another. Body size, how often you drink, and even your nutrition all determine how much of an effect alcohol will have on your workout. As a general rule of thumb, limit yourself to one or two drinks before or after a workout, recommends Stephens.

Most importantly, pay attention to how you’re feeling when you’re drinking. According to Stephens, “It’s essential to notice when you get high or dizzy and not go over that threshold,” because that’s when your body is letting you know you’ve had enough to drink. The more you keep drinking when you’re already feeling the effects of alcohol, the more likely you’ll suffer during exercise the same day or even the next morning.

drink water

Alcohol is a diuretic — it makes you urinate more often — and so it can leave you dehydrated, depriving your body of essential electrolytes, says Sacheck-Ward.

“When we have less fluid circulating in the blood, the heart rate increases to get oxygen to the muscle cells that are working,” she says. “It will exacerbate everything.”

For every shot of alcohol you take, she recommends drinking a glass of water or possibly an electrolyte drink to prevent dehydration. This standard applies to alcohol consumption before, during or after exercise.

Stephens often suggests to his athletes that they dissolve an electrolyte tablet or envelope in water and take it before bed if they have consumed alcohol that night and intend to work out the next day.

Avoid sweet cocktails

A high-sugar cocktail — like a caipirinha, for example — may give you a short-term energy boost, but it will send your blood sugar level soaring, says Sacheck-Ward. After the sudden high comes the slump, which will leave you even more tired than you would be if you drank unsweetened alcohol. Beer is a better option, but a non-alcoholic beer is ideal.

don’t forget to eat

Alcoholic beverages are not a good source of fuel for exercise. “Alcohol does not provide calories that can be used efficiently for energy,” says Sacheck-Ward.

So when you drink alcohol, “you replace healthy calories that could energize your workout and increase your endurance.”

If you drink before working out and don’t eat enough beforehand, you’ll likely get tired before long, she says, and won’t be able to restore as much muscle tissue after your workout. Alcohol can also prevent the body from properly utilizing nutrients that support muscle performance and endurance.

Be sure to eat a balanced meal that includes carbs and protein while (or after) consuming any alcohol, she recommends, to make sure you have enough energy in your workout. Another thing: While there is little evidence to support the popular idea that eating bread “soaks up” alcohol, having food in your stomach can slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.

It’s equally important to eat something after exercising, says Sacheck-Ward. The 30 minutes following a workout are crucial for the body to recover. During this window, the body needs to replace the fluid and fuel it has lost, and the muscles are primed to be replenished.

After exercising, but before having a drink to celebrate, give your body what it needs most: food and water. “Think of the recovery first and leave the celebration for later”, suggests the nutritionist.

Translated by Clara Allain