Trying to train or compete with a hangover can affect your performance.
Alcohol also affects:
- endurance
- reaction times
- muscle development
- hydration
- recovery
Endurance
Your body needs blood sugar for energy. The liver produces this when it releases glucose into the bloodstream.
Drinking alcohol reduces your liver’s ability to produce blood sugar.
Alcohol also affects how you absorb nutrients such as:
- zinc - for energy and metabolism
- vitamins B1 and B12 - for oxygen transport
Alcohol can affect the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is the energy source for your muscles.
To perform to the best of your abilities, it's best not to drink alcohol in the 48 hours before sporting activity. But if you do consume alcohol in this period, keep it to 1 or 2 units and drink lots of water to help keep you hydrated.
Reduced aerobic performance
Alcohol reduces your body’s ability to convert food to energy. It also reduces carbohydrates and blood sugar levels. These, and lactic acid build-up and dehydration, combine to reduce aerobic performance.
Slower reactions
Alcohol is a sedative. It can affect your sports performance for up to 72 hours after you have finished drinking.
Drinking alcohol will mean poorer hand-eye coordination and slower responses.
Recovery
Alcohol’s effect on sleep can reduce the amount of human growth hormone (HGH) in your body. HGH is part of normal muscle building and repair processes.
Alcohol can also reduce testosterone. You need this for muscle development and recovery.
Muscle cramps
During exercise, your muscles burn sugar. This produces lactic acid.
Too much lactic acid leads to muscle fatigue and cramps. Drinking alcohol 24 hours before training or competing increases the lactic acid. This increases your risk of getting muscle cramps.
Injuries and complications
Alcohol makes the recovery period longer. It increases the bleeding and swelling around soft tissue injuries.
These include:
- sprains
- bruises
- cuts
- muscle injury
Alcohol also masks pain. This may lead you to delay getting treatment. Getting treatment quickly can make all the difference in a speedy recovery.
The usual treatments for muscle injury can be cancelled out due to the effects of alcohol.
If you cannot feel the pain of a muscle injury you are less likely to take care of it. This will slow your recovery time or even cause further damage.
Avoid alcohol if you have an injury
It will complicate your recovery.
Avoid alcohol if you have an injury. It will complicate your recovery.
Body heat loss
Alcohol is a vasodilator. This means it causes the blood vessels near the surface of the skin to expand. This results in heat loss and lowers your body temperature.
Dehydration
Alcohol promotes water loss. It reduces the production of the antidiuretic hormone, causing you to pee more. This in turn leads to dehydration.
Vitamin and mineral depletion
Water loss from drinking alcohol also means the loss of important minerals such as:
- magnesium
- potassium
- calcium
- zinc
These help maintain nerve and muscle action and coordination.
Weekly low-risk alcohol guidelines
Reduced sleep
Getting a good night’s rest is important for sports performance. Alcohol reduces the amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This means you’ll wake up feeling drowsy and low in energy the next day.
Alcohol’s effect on sleep can also inhibit your body’s production of human growth hormone (HGH). This hormone is needed for muscle building and repair.