Alcohol and Performance

Today on coffee & questions I answered Shane & Bec's questions on alcohol and its place in the week when it comes to exercise and performance.

Can I have a drink after my race? 🍻

Is there a way to be sensible with alcohol intake? 🍸

What effects does alcohol have on exercise performance? 🚴🏻

I'm not here to say don't ever drink but from the perspective of a dietitian... Alcohol is a toxin. 

We don't store it anywhere - it gets processed in the liver and burnt off in preference to anything else as we try and get rid of it out of the body

It's used as a social lubricant and is a socially acceptable toxin

My advice will differ depending on who you are and what your overall goals are. Find a balance between drinking and exercise performance depending on who you are and what your goals are

Alcohol equals energy - calories or kilojoules

Alcohol = 29kJ/gram

It also depends on what calories you're drinking it with - e.g. soda water or full-fat coke

And what food choices you make when you drink 

A drink does not always equal 1 STANDARD drink 

1 standard drink of wine = 100ml

1 standard drink of liquor = 30ml nip

Check the label of your drink for how many STANDARD drinks it contains

Tick off the 4 R's of recovery before going to the pub

1. Repair - protein

2. Refuel - Carbohydrate

3. Rehydrate - water is fine

4. Revitalise - Vitamins, minerals, healthy fats 

Be mindful that alcohol doesn't displace the important recovery nutrients 

There are two main factors when I think about alcohol and exercise performance:

1. Dehydration
2. Muscle damage / adaptation

1. Does drinking beer/alcohol cause dehydration?

Dr Ben Desbrow – lots of research in beer and rehydration post-exercise

Primary findings: 0%, 1%, 2% alcohol beer – didn‘t cause greater fluid loss – diuretic effect weak

The solute mix of beer is actually good for fluid retention – the alcohol is the problem

But when you consume 4% full-strength beer. Poorer fluid retention – diuretic  effect

“ breaking the seal” – turn off the signal to retain fluid and pee it all out – quite dilute and clear urine colour – body pushing out water

Can be moderated by adding sodium/eating

2. Muscle protein synthesis 

Alcohol blocks muscle-protein synthesis – even when alcohol is given with protein

Be mindful that alcohol can inhibit your recovery processes - particularly if drinking multiple drinks 

Summary

• Alcohol intake needs to be individualised depending on who you are and what your goals are
• Drink strategically and avoid alcohol around big training sessions/races
• Alcohol needs to be considered in your overall plan - are you at the ideal body composition you want to be? Or are you feeling tired and run down? Reconsider your alcohol intake
• Try to avoid the all or none approach - with a switch off and then switch on. More moderate drinking across a year is a more beneficial/healthy approach then abstaining and then binge drinking and blowing out
• 1 drink is probably OK in your overall plan, even if it’s alcohol content is 4% or higher – from a rehydration perspective. Particularly if followed up with food and non-alcoholic fluids e.g. water, milk, sports drink
• It's when drinking gets beyond an occasional drink that it can be an issue
• Ensure you tick off the 4 R's of recovery FIRST before drinking alcohol
• If you're missing the 4 R's of recovery, drinking and not making good food choices, you're more likely to displace the important recovery components. Or if you're having a beer and falling asleep so you're not doing recovery at all is definitely NOT IDEAL!
  
  

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If you want help putting into practice any of the strategies above, or are looking for a Sports Dietitian to help you with training and racing nutrition, learn how you can work with me HERE