Is Booze Sabotaging Your Lifts? Here's How Alcohol Impacts Exercise

Generally, we're aware that fitness is good for us and alcohol is not — which is cruel, because I'm so funny when I'm drunk and not as funny when I'm keeled over, gasping for air after a hill sprint. And yet, we still imbibe, even when a night out on the town means you're skipping your workout the next day under the guise of an extra "rest day", splayed out on the couch eating chips.

We're covering the affects of alcohol on your performance, how adding exercise to your routine can curb alcohol consuption, and why you might want to consider swapping in a non-alcoholic beverage to help support your goals.

The Effects of Alcohol on Performance

Alcohol is the most used recreational drug, engrained in society as a way to take the edge off after work, to celebrate with friends and loved ones, and as a typical pairing for dinner, parties, brunches, and hangs. What's more, athletes actually drink more alcohol compared to the general population, though this correlation doesn't impy causation, as being part of a team may simply increase exposure to drinking environments.

The CDC defines moderate alcohol use as two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women. Staying within these limits, compared to drinking in excess, can help reduce negative health effects such as certain types of cancer, liver disease, decreased brain health, heart damage, weakened bones, fertility problems, increased risk-taking behaviors, trouble regulating body temperature, and more.

However, even moderate alcohol use can affect health and athletic performance. It can cause an imbalance in electrolytes, impair motor skills, and slow your brain's communication pathways, leading to reduced coordination, a higher risk of falls, and compromised decision-making. 

Does Alcohol Stop Muscle Growth?

If you're trying to grow some big, beautiful muscles, alcohol is not your friend.

Alcohol compromises recovery after exercise, and recovery is where your muscles grow. Protein synthesis — the process your body uses to build new muscle fibers — slows down. Hormonal balance is disrupted, with lower testosterone (which supports muscle growth) and higher cortisol (which can break down muscle). Dehydration and systemic inflammation make recovery slower and muscle soreness worse. Blood flow efficiency is also reduced, limiting the delivery of oxygen, glucose, and amino acids that muscles need to repair and grow.

Alcohol, even in moderate amounts, can negatively affect athletic performance. Over time, these effects can make it harder to reach your fitness goals and maintain consistent progress.

Alcohol's Effect (While Drinking) on Athletic Performance

While we're aware of the acute and chronic affects of alcohol use and abuse, the research on its impact on athletic performance while drinking are mixed. Some studies show that there isn't a significant downside or upside of alcohol on endurance performance, while other studies show the exact opposite.

What is clear, however, is that there appears to be a thershold at which alcohol begins to wreck havoc on performance. Research indicates that a blood alcohol concentration of 20mmol/L of ethenol is associated with a measurable decline in athletic performance. This level is equivalent to about 0.09% blood alcohol concentration, which for the average adult typically requires 3-4 drinks for a smaller individual and 4-5 drinks for someone larger, depending on factors like body weight, metabolism, and food they've eaten.

Benefits of Quitting Drinking (Or Cutting Way Back)

If you're on the fence about cutting out drinking (or at least dialing the volume or frequency down), here are some benefits you can look forward to:

• Improved sleep: Better, more restorative sleep means more energy during the day.
• Better hydration: Avoiding dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance caused by alcohol leads to fewer headaches and better performance.
• Better recovery: Your body builds new muscle fibers — protein synthesis — faster.
• Increased endurance: Your VO2 max improves, and your heart and lungs work more efficiently.
• Improved performance: Sports, school, work, and relationships improve due to no hangovers, better focus, faster recovery, and more energy.
• Lifted mood: Reduced anxiety, irritability, stress, and emotional swings.
• Brain power: Better focus, memory, and decision-making.
• Elevated motivation: Easier to stay consistent with your goals because you're not dealing with a hangover.
• Clearer skin: Less inflammation and dehydration can lead to fewer breakouts and healthier-looking skin.
• Lower long-term disease risk: Reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, liver disease, and high blood pressure.
  
• Stronger immune system: You get sick less often because your body isn't constantly inflamed or depleted.
  
• Save money:  Less money spent on alcohol means more money in your bank account.
• Weight management: Cutting back on one or two drinks can save you between 100 and 800+ calories. Plus, the calories in alcohol keep you less satiated than food, leaving you hungrier.

More Exercise Leads to Less Drinking

When I have to wake up early to hit the gym or play beach volleyball, I always skip the glass of wine or beer at dinner the night before. Why? Because, anecdotally, I feel like sh*t trying to lift heavy or sprint in the sand after having just one drink.

Alcohol can cause poor sleep, dehydration, increased inflammation, heart and breathing inefficiency, and lower available energy. Even just one or two drinks can leave your body under-hydrated, under-recovered, and under-fueled the next day — making workouts feel harder and performance noticeably worse. 

Read More: 5 Holiday Hydration Tips From A Registered Dietician

Similarly, studies have shown that people who add fitness-related activities into their routine — whether that be yoga, resistance training, pickleball, or aerobic exercise — were found to drink less alcohol overall. Including exercise not only reduced overall drinking but also increased VO2 max, meaning improved aerobic fitness. However, adding exercise did not reduce the amount of alcohol consumed during binge drinking episodes.  Which, yeah, anecdotally, that tracks (you should've seen me on NYE).

Healthy lifestyle choices beget healthy lifestyle choices, just like hitting the gym regularly can lead to improving your diet and prioritizing sleep. So if you're struggling with your alcohol intake, consider starting a fitness routine to help curb your nightly fix.

Takeaway

Avoiding alcohol is the best way to support your goals and gains, but hey — we all have our vices. Just remember to limit your consumption to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women, and keep in mind that any alcohol you choose to consume can affect muscle growth and recovery, sleep, hydration, mood, and your wallet.

Most importantly, avoid drinking in excess, which can derail your commitment to your fitness routine and increase the likelyhood of injury, poor decision-making, missed workouts, and long-term health consequences.

FAQs

Does alcohol slow metabolism?

Yes. Since your body has to focus on breaking down the alcohol, other chemical reactions, like metabolism, recieve less focus and slow down.

Can you sweat out alcohol?

Not really. Alcohol is primarily broken down by the liver and only a small percetage is excreted through your urine, breath, and sweat.

Does exercise help a hangover?

If you have a mild hangover, a gentle workout can increase blood flow and release endorphins (our favorite chemicals that help us feel good). However, intense exercise can often make you feel worse so it's best to wait to exercise until you're feeling better.

How long should you wait to workout after drinking alcohol?

Every body is different and metabolizes alcohol at different speeds. That said, there isn't a set time you should wait after drinking to work out. Just be sure that you no longer feel the effects of the alcohol before jumping into training.