The Effect of Alcohol on Sports Performance and Recovery

Consumption of alcohol has been a time-honoured tradition for celebrating sporting performance. Alcohol is the most commonly consumed drug amongst the athletic population, with traditional field sports players of soccer, rugby, cricket, hurling, and gaelic football  found to have the highest percentage of consumption. Most players are aware of the negative effects of alcohol on performance on the night before an event. Alcohol is a depressant which affects the central nervous system and alters brain function. The results of which includes impairment of many mechanisms necessary for successful athletic performance like reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and balance. What is less understood however is how alcohol affects athletic recovery in both the short and long-term.

The Effect of a Hangover on Sporting Performance

It’s not uncommon for recreational athletes or ‘weekend warriors’ to have a few drinks (or a lot of drink J) on the night before a game. Irish researchers performed fitness assessments on rugby players and then asked the players to consume a regular amount of alcohol for a typical night out, and report for  re-assessment 16 hours later. They found that a hangover inhibited aerobic performance by 11.4% on average. The mechanisms behind the performance impairments are dehydration, acid-base disturbances, and alterations in glucose metabolism via insulin action. Heart function was also affected during the hangover phase and could be seen with an increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Short-Term Effects on Athlete Recovery

·         During a typical match lasting 80-90 minutes it is not uncommon to lose 2-5% of body weight through dehydration and depletion of muscle and liver glycogen (carbohydrates are broken down to glycogen in the body and stored in the liver and muscles to be used as fuel). Adequate rehydration and refuelling is essential after a game in order to speed up recovery for the next game or event, timing is important and a high protein and carbohydrate meal is recommended within 2 hours of the final whistle. Replacing fluid losses is also a priority and a good rule to follow is to replace 1.5 times the amount of fluid lost through sweat, so if you sweat 1 litre, then drink 1.5 litres. Simply weighing yourself before and after exercise will give you a good indication of how much sweat is lost, as 1kg of weight loss equates to about 1 litre of sweat.

·         However, rather than following these guidelines, what commonly occurs is that this important time period is spent drinking and this has a negative effect on recovery. A commonly held misconception is that beer is effective at replacing fluid losses. Beer, and other alcoholic beverages of about 4% alcohol volume have a diuretic effect on the kidneys and promote urine loss resulting in further dehydration. What is recommended is that in the immediate aftermath to consume some water, and then try to stick to some mid strength beers, or spirits served in large glasses with a non-alcoholic mixture before hitting the stronger stuff if you must.

·         Research has shown that those who consume alcohol on a regular basis are more likely to get injured than non-drinkers. Those who drink 1 night a week had an injury rate of 54.8%, whereas the non-drinkers injury rate was 23.5%. Collision injuries are common in team sports resulting in a temporary loss of function. Alcohol can impair optimal recovery, and if full recovery is not achieved then further injury is likely. The underlying mechanisms affected are inhibited immune system function, and inability to limit blood flow to the injury site that can result in an oedema or build up of fluid causing swelling.

Long Term Effects

·         Alcohol is high in calories, providing 7 kcal per gram which is more than carbohydrates and protein (4 kcal per gram) but less than fat (9 kcal per gram). However not all calories are created equal and alcohol is considered and ‘empty calorie’ as it does not provide glucose or nutrient benefits. A common misconception is that the carbohydrates in beer are responsible for the weight gain or beer belly associated with long-term consumption, this is not true, it is the alcohol in beer that is to blame.

·         When available, the body uses alcohol as its preferred fuel source. So when you have your high-fat takeaway at the end of the night, the fat in this food is stored in the stomach, hips, and thigh area as opposed to being used as fuel.

How to Survive a Night Out

So how can you enjoy a night out without severely negatively impacting performance or recovery? Well here’s a few tips on how to enjoy alcohol responsibly.

·         Eating before drinking can speed up the recovery process by providing your muscles with carbohydrate and protein rich foods (chicken, steak, fish, with veg or a sandwich with lean meat are good choices).

·         Try to pace yourself, if you are dehydrated you will drink much faster so aim to start with a non-alcoholic drink first to quench your thirst and replace fluid losses before having a couple of mid-strength drinks.

·         Try to avoid ‘rounds’ as this encourages drinking at a faster pace, also try to keep busy while drinking. Playing pool or darts are better options than sitting and drinking.

·         Always try to have a glass of water before you go to bed, this is a good way to prevent a hangover and get the rehydration process under way.