The One Beer a Day Experiment
For many of us, a celebratory alcoholic drink seems well-deserved – even if it’s just one drink with friends. But, if you’re read this far, you know that science has a few cautionary words to say about that post-workout drink.
RX for Your Hard Workout
After working out, your body needs to do two things: replenish glycogen (energy) and boost your muscle protein synthesis (MPS). We lose fluids which reduces blood volume, and we lose electrolytes which effect muscle contraction. Basically, our bodies are toast. Rehydrating your body is important to help ensure that your hard exertion will have beneficial, restorative effects. However, consuming drinks with as little as 4% alcohol will actually interfere with that essential recovery process.
Have a Sports Drink or Chocolate Milk
Immediately after exercise, athletes are recommended to consume a mixture of carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes. Sports drinks and, yes, chocolate milk, rank at the top of lists for replacement drinks. In fact, compared to carb-only sports drinks, fat-free chocolate milk consumption shows increases in protein synthesis and higher concentrations of glycogen.
Beer Won’t Get You There
It’s a beloved myth that’s tough to let go of, but the hard truth is, beer doesn’t help recovery from workouts. In fact, it does the opposite. Beer is believed to be an ideal post-workout beverage because it contains carbohydrates and electrolytes. However, the typical beer doesn’t have nearly enough of either to help recover from a hard workout. The downside of beer – and other alcoholic drinks – is that it noticeably slows down the repair of muscle damage.
Sore Muscles and Negative Performance
After a strenuous workout, some muscle soreness is to be expected. To reduce the discomfort, many athletes will apply ice to their muscles to reduce the flow of blood. But alcohol has the opposite effect by increasing blood flow and soreness. Less obvious, is that post-workout alcohol suppresses our anabolic, muscle building process which can have a negative effect on adaption to training and performance.
Alcohol Has Some Benefits – But Not for Exercise
Moderate drinking can be beneficial – but, it’s obviously not for everyone. The most frequently cited benefits are lower risk of cardiovascular disease, lower risk of type 2 diabetes and gallstones. In recent years, research has indicated that moderate alcohol may also protect against Alzheimer disease and dementia. However, the bigger issue is what is “moderate.”
There is little evidence that moderate alcohol provides benefits of any kind for exercise or strenuous athletic sports. Medical and sport journals overwhelmingly conclude that workouts and alcohol really don’t mix.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have a beer, some wine, or champagne. Just do so after you’ve taken steps to carefully rehydrate yourself, and even then, try to consume just a small amount.
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