The Effects of Alcohol When Exercising

We all love a drink every now and again but unfortunately, alcohol has a massive impact on our health when it comes to fitness. It does this in several ways:

Alcohol dehydrates your body, which means it makes your kidneys produce more urine. Therefore drinking too much alcohol can lead to dehydration. Exercising soon after drinking alcohol can make dehydration worse because you also sweat during exercise. We all know that dehydration leads to reduced exercise performance. It’s very important that you are well hydrated when you exercise to maintain the flow of blood through your body, which is essential for carrying oxygen and nutrients to your muscles which will enhance your performance.

There is a reason you shouldn’t drive when having drunk alcohol as it slows down the nerves that pass messages around the body, causing a relaxed feeling. This effect can take time to wear off which is also known as being intoxicated by alcohol which can result in your reactions, coordination, accuracy and balance being slower than usual during exercise and competition.

Alcohol can also interfere with the way your body generates energy. Alcohol is broken down in the liver. When you are breaking down alcohol, all other functions of the liver are secondary, one function involves glucose production, we need glucose for energy. If your liver is failing to produce enough glucose, your body will become extremely tired as it works to expel the alcohol, making it even more of a struggle to keep up with your performance.

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