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Alcohol and exercise

Published by Bupa's health information team, healthinfo@bupa.com, April 2008

This article looks at how alcohol can affect physical performance and gives advice about how to minimise the negative effects of alcohol, particularly for people who exercise regularly.

Alcohol and it's affects on physical performance

Even moderate amounts of alcohol can affect your physical performance. Alcohol is known to:

• increase your risk of dehydration by increasing the amount of fluids you lose
• affect your body's natural temperature regulation making it difficult to cool down
• lower your blood sugar levels so you have less energy
• impair your reaction times, co-ordination and balance, and therefore increasing your risk of injury

Alcohol and your weight

Alcohol beverages on average contain seven calories (kcals) per gram. Alcohol is useless as an energy source for physical activity because your body can only metabolise alcohol at a fixed rate. It also has little or no nutritional value. As a result, alcohol consumption is often associated with being overweight.

In the long term, a high alcohol intake can impair your body's absorption of nutrients from food and bring about vitamin deficiencies, particularly the B group of vitamins.

I enjoy a drink - so when can I drink?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you should not drink alcohol for 48 hours before training or taking part in a physical event. Afterwards, it's important to rehydrate with clear fluids such as water and only drink alcohol after you have had some food. This helps to slow down its absorption.

What are the safe limits for alcohol consumption?

Current recommended guidelines for sensible drinking set by the UK government are:

You should not drink your weekly quota in one or two binge drinking sessions. It's best to stay within the maximum daily guidelines, and have at least one alcohol-free day a week.

Drinking alcohol within the recommended limits should pose no physical risk. However, alcohol intake above these levels is linked to increasing health risks.

What is one unit?

A unit is:

• one third of a pint of strong beer, lager or cider
• one half of a pint of ordinary beer, lager or cider
• one single pub measure of spirits
• one small glass of wine

This should only be used as guidance. It's important to be aware that over time the strength of alcoholic drinks has increased.

Alcohol calculator

Points to remember

• Even a moderate intake of alcohol can negatively affect your physical performance.
• You shouldn't drink alcohol for 48 hours before exercise or training.
• You should drink water to rehydrate after exercise or training.
• Drinking above the recommended limits can damage your health.
• Alcohol is high in calories and may result in weight gain.
• Alcohol may impair vitamin and mineral absorption from food.
• Being physically fit does not protect you from the risks of drinking too much alcohol.

Further information

• Alcohol Concern

www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
• Down Your Drink

www.downyourdrink.org.uk

Related information

• Alcohol - how it affects you
• Alcohol: mind and body
• Sensible drinking - factsheet

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