Muscle gain, hydration, recovery, anabolism, and the ability to focus are important in achieving performance goals.
People do not usually think that drinking alcohol will directly affect their performance, but in reality, consuming alcohol even a few days prior to a workout can still have a negative effect.
Unlike macronutrients (such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), alcohol supplies what nutritionists often refer to as empty calories: calories without nutrition.
To make matters worse, when combined with carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, it is the first fuel your body wants to use up, postponing the fat-burning process and contributing to greater fat storage. The following are the side effects one to two days after drinking:
HYDRATION
-Since alcohol consumption is very hard on the kidneys, it will negatively affect your body’s hydration. Your body’s water will go to the kidneys to metabolize the alcohol when it should be used to help process other substances.
-Hydration is key to performance in sports or weight lifting because water is needed in all energy-creating reactions. It can take the body a while to rehydrate. So I suggest if you are out consuming an alcoholic beverage, have a glass of water as well to maintain proper hydration.
MIND FUNCTION
Alcohol diminishes the function of the mind through various processes. It affects many of the hormone functions in the brain within one to two minutes of consumption. In addition, alcohol intake slows glycogen metabolism. This means the brain receives less glycogen, so it doesn’t have much energy.
Since the mind plays a large role in the motivation and focuses required to exercise, you would do well not to impair its function.
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
Anabolism, or protein synthesis, suffers when you consume alcohol. Alcohol hurts the absorption of protein in the body, just as it hurts the absorption of any other substance. Because less protein is being turned into muscle tissue, you are not growing to the fullest!
This decrease in protein synthesis not only slows down growth but also hurts recovery because less protein is going towards repairing muscle tissue.
STRENGTH PERFORMANCE
Because alcohol consumption affects all of the above, strength performance takes a hit as well. When you are not properly hydrated and recovered, how can you expect to perform at optimal strength levels?
This information is not meant to discourage you from ever having an alcoholic beverage again. But being mindful of how alcohol consumption can affect your fitness performance and body composition, you can now make informed decisions with respect to the amount and frequency.