Why alcohol before exercise is a no go
Would you like to exercise in the evening with a glass of wine? Or have you lost a lot of weight and are you going to train again the next morning? If you know these nine negative effects, you will probably change your mind.
1. Dehydration
Alcohol drains fluid from your body, causing you to urinate more often. That is of course difficult when you are exercising, but it also dries out your body. During training or competition you already lose extra fluid through sweating. From 2 percent fluid loss there is a clear negative effect on sports performance. You can also suffer from muscle cramps due to a lack of fluids.
2. Rather tired
Your body needs energy to perform well. During physical exertion, that energy is mainly supplied by carbohydrates. If you have alcohol in your body, your body is busy breaking down alcohol. As a result, there is less use of carbohydrates as an energy source. The body also needs carbohydrates for the breakdown of alcohol. In the end you are more tired and you can perform less well.
3. Increased heart rate and accelerated breathing
Alcohol causes the blood vessels to widen. That means your heart has to pump harder to get the oxygen all over the body. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause your muscles to get too little oxygen. As a result, you even have a chance of heart arrhythmias and muscle injuries in the long run. Finally, due to the accelerated breathing and heart rate, your condition deteriorates over time.
4. More muscle pain
Lactic acid is formed in the muscles during exercise. The liver breaks this down. If you have drunk, the liver also has to break down the alcohol. The liver then chooses to break down the alcohol first. After all, alcohol is a poison for your body and the liver wants to make alcohol harmless as soon as possible. This means that the lactic acid accumulates in the muscles and you get (extra) muscle pain.
5. Go beyond your limits faster
By drinking a glass you feel less pain. This allows people to go beyond their limits faster, with a greater chance of injuries.
6. Responsiveness deteriorates
Drinking alcohol reduces your concentration and coordination ability, making you react more slowly and take more risks than usual. This increases the risk of injuries, falls or other accidents. But you can also endanger others.
7. Disturbance Body Temperature
A glass before exercise to dispel the cold? Seems like a good plan, because alcohol stimulates blood flow to the skin and does indeed give you a superficial feeling of warmth. But: due to the increased blood flow to the skin, the skin and therefore the body cools down faster. Ultimately, this can actually lead to a drop in your body temperature.
8. Nutrient Deficiencies
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a shortage of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. If you drink a lot, you eat a lot less. And that while the breakdown of alcohol also requires nutrients, such as B vitamins.
9. Weight Gain
Alcohol is a fuel for the body, just like carbohydrates and fat. Excess fuel stores the body in the form of fat. So if you drink a lot on a regular basis, you will eventually gain weight. Of course, extra kilos of weight do not help if you want to perform in sports.
In short: alcohol before exercise is a no go. Better alcohol afterwards? That’s not such a good idea either.
