Alcohol is a substance commonly consumed in the Western world. It is found in many beverages such as beer, wine, and liqueur. Alcohol has some beneficial effects for some people, but it can adversely affect your training performance if you drink too much of it. In this article, we’ll learn what alcohol does to our body when we consume it, how long its effects last after drinking, and how much is safe to drink before training.
Although moderate alcohol consumption can benefit heart health (at least so some say regarding a glass of wine), drinkers far more often than light and moderate drinkers experience adverse cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack. The lesson here is: If you’re trying to improve your cardiovascular health, it’s best not to drink alcohol.
Alcohol can affect your heart rate and blood pressure levels during exercise. If you plan to drink an alcoholic drink before or after exercise, do so, if possible, at least two hours before exercise. This will help prevent the negative effects of drinking alcohol while exercising, and reduce dehydration that can interfere with a workout such as cardio exercise, such as running or cycling. Additionally, it helps keep caloric intake low as many people tend to consume more calories from alcoholic beverages than they usually ingest during the day with food.
People who exercise frequently should also avoid heavy drinking, as chronic excessive drinking can lead to liver damage, which can reduce your liver’s ability to process fat and impact muscle building.
Large amounts of alcohol can also cause testosterone levels to drop, which is responsible for regulating many body functions, including metabolism and sexual activity. This can have a negative impact on both your training and overall health. It takes about ten hours from the time you drink alcohol to its elimination from your body, so if you plan to drink it at dinner or later at night, make sure you don’t exercise right before bed, lest you weaken while trying to fall asleep when you’re ready to go to sleep!