Lucy Palmer
Drinking beer is a popular post-workout activity, with many people believing it to be a good way to unwind. But is it ok to have a beer before working out? The short answer is no. Alcohol impairs coordination, balance, and judgment, and slows down reaction time, strength, and endurance, making a pre-workout beer potentially dangerous. It is also a diuretic, which means it increases urine production and can lead to dehydration, especially when combined with workout-induced sweating. Additionally, the full effects of alcohol may not be felt until well into a workout, increasing the risk of serious injury. While one or two beers after a workout are generally considered acceptable, it is best to avoid alcohol before a workout to ensure optimal performance and safety.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Effect on coordination, balance and spatial awareness | Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your coordination, balance and spatial awareness |
| Effect on performance | Drinking one or two alcoholic drinks has a small effect on performance, such as speed or strength |
| Effect on heart | After very heavy drinking, alcohol consumption can lead to arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) |
| Effect on liver | The liver prioritises dealing with alcohol's toxins rather than producing glucose or clearing lactic acid |
| Effect on sleep | Alcohol negatively impacts your sleep |
| Effect on testosterone and growth hormone levels | Alcohol decreases testosterone and growth hormone levels |
| Effect on protein synthesis | Alcohol reduces the body's ability to synthesise proteins |
| Effect on weight | Alcohol is a source of 'empty calories' and will therefore likely be turned into fat |
| Effect on hydration | Alcohol is a diuretic, increasing the need to urinate and leading to dehydration |
What You'll Learn
Dehydration
Drinking beer before working out can lead to dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes your body produce more urine. This can lead to dehydration if you don't drink enough water. The more you drink, the more your body will be affected.
After exercising, your body needs to rehydrate. Drinking alcohol after a workout will dehydrate you even further. Alcohol dries you out and increases urine output. This means that you may need to drink twice as much water after just one alcoholic drink to get fully rehydrated. This is especially important if you have been sweating during your workout.
The effects of alcohol on dehydration are related to its impact on the hormone anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) or arginine vasopressin (AVP). AVP helps to maintain sodium balance in the body. When you have higher levels of AVP, you urinate less, and when you have lower levels, you urinate more. Alcohol suppresses the production of AVP, which results in your kidneys creating more urine. This can lead to a condition called beer potomania, where chronic alcohol abusers can become over-hydrated and have excess free water in their bodies.
To minimise the dehydrating effects of beer, choose a drink with a lower alcohol content, and be sure to drink plenty of water.
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Impaired coordination and balance
Drinking alcohol before a workout can be dangerous due to the negative effects it has on coordination and balance. Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your coordination, balance and spatial awareness. This means that you are more likely to trip over or injure yourself. The more alcohol you consume, the worse your athletic performance is affected.
Alcohol is a depressant, which means that it relaxes you, but it also impairs coordination, balance and mood. It also affects your heart rate and, after very heavy drinking, can lead to arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). The full effects of alcohol are not immediate, and you may not feel drunk until you are well into your workout, which can put you in a dangerous situation.
Alcohol also increases your need to urinate, so combined with workout sweat, you can easily become dehydrated. Dehydration and muscle fatigue are the most common results of drinking alcohol, and can lead to more serious risks, such as a heart arrhythmia, which is more common in cases of heavy binge drinking or chronic alcohol use.
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Heart issues
Drinking beer before working out is generally not recommended. Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your coordination, balance and spatial awareness, which could lead to injuries. Alcohol also affects your heart rate and very heavy drinking can lead to arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).
There is no safe level of alcohol use for heart health. Even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Alcohol is a major risk factor for high blood pressure (hypertension), which is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Alcohol increases hormones that cause arteries to tighten and constrict, affecting the amount of force used to pump blood around the body. It also impacts the nervous system and the receptors in blood vessels near the heart that help maintain blood pressure. Regular alcohol use often leads to increased body weight, which is another risk factor for high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure puts strain on the heart and can increase the build-up of fatty material (plaque) in blood vessels, leading to blocked arteries. Heavy drinking on a single occasion can also trigger an irregular heartbeat, sometimes known as 'holiday heart'. Long-term alcohol use can cause the heart to stretch and enlarge, and as the muscles stretch over time, they weaken, increasing the risk of heart failure.
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Weight gain
The amount of calories in beer varies depending on the type:
- Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Miller Light: 60-110 kcal per 12-ounce serving
- Stella Artois, Budweiser, Becks, Guinness: 110-150 kcal per 12-ounce serving
- Blue Moon, Sierra Nevada, Craft beers: 150-250 kcal per 12-ounce serving
Additionally, alcohol inhibits fat-burning by increasing the levels of acetate in the body. Acetate is a chemical that is produced when alcohol is broken down in the liver.
Regularly consuming large amounts of alcohol can also lead to weight gain in the midsection, often referred to as a "beer belly." This type of weight gain is associated with health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
It is worth noting that the impact of a single beer on weight gain is likely to be minimal. However, if drinking becomes a regular habit, it can contribute to weight gain over time, especially when combined with a lack of exercise. Therefore, it is important to monitor your alcohol intake and ensure that it does not exceed the recommended guidelines for moderate drinking.
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Sleep disruption
Alcohol can negatively impact sleep in several ways. Firstly, it can disrupt the sleep cycle by reducing the time spent in the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, leading to more disruptions and a lower quality of sleep. This can leave individuals feeling less refreshed and affect their day-to-day mental function, including mood, concentration and decision-making.
Secondly, alcohol consumption can lead to snoring and sleep apnoea, a condition that narrows airways and disrupts breathing during sleep. This can have serious health consequences if left untreated, including an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, depression, high blood pressure and stroke.
Thirdly, alcohol can cause or worsen insomnia, a sleep disorder characterised by difficulty falling and staying asleep. Heavy alcohol use and insomnia are linked, with three-quarters of people experiencing insomnia symptoms when drinking heavily. A destructive pattern can develop where individuals drink alcohol to fall asleep, but then experience poor sleep and increased sleepiness during the day, leading to a reliance on caffeine which further disrupts sleep.
Finally, alcohol can interfere with circadian rhythms, the biological patterns that operate on a 24-hour clock. Alcohol may decrease the body's sensitivity to cues such as daylight and darkness, which are important triggers for the sleep-wake cycle. As a result, individuals may feel alert when they want to sleep and sleepy when they want to be awake.
To minimise sleep disruption, experts recommend avoiding alcohol at least three hours before bed.
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Frequently asked questions
No, it is not a good idea to drink beer before a workout. Alcohol impairs coordination, balance, and judgment, and can cause serious injuries. It is also a diuretic, which means it increases your need to urinate, and can lead to dehydration.
Alcohol causes a series of physiological changes in the body. It affects major parts of the brain, protein synthesis, and hormones. It can cause high blood pressure and, in the case of chronic heavy drinking, lead to heart failure. It also affects your liver, which has to deal with the toxins produced by alcohol rather than producing glucose or clearing lactic acid.
Drinking beer before a workout can negatively impact your performance and increase the risk of injuries. It can also lead to dehydration, as alcohol increases urine production. In addition, alcohol is a depressant, which means it can slow you down, affecting your reaction time, strength, and endurance.
Yes, it is recommended to wait as long as possible between drinking and exercising. Drinking fluids and eating a solid meal before drinking can also help minimize the negative effects of alcohol. If you are looking for a pre-workout drink, there are non-alcoholic beers, mocktails, or recovery drinks that provide protein, carbohydrates, and electrolytes.
