The effects of alcohol on your sports performance

The terraces are (partly) open again, which means you can 'finally' start having a drink outside again. This freedom might invite you to consume (quite a bit of) alcohol right away. Are you also actively exercising (again) at the same time? Then we would still advise you to be careful with your alcohol consumption. Although the 'third half' is a well-known phenomenon, sport and alcohol do not go well together. We tell you about the effects of alcohol on your (sports) body.

 

• Moisture loss is performance loss 

  When you are exercising intensively, you lose moisture through sweating. Alcohol also causes you to withdraw (extra) fluids from your body, making you urinate more often and dehydrating your body even more. Did you know that 2% fluid loss already has a negative effect on your sports performance? In addition, fluid deprivation can also cause muscle cramps.

 

• War of attrition

  When a (sports) performance is required of you, you need energy for this and this comes mainly from carbohydrates. When you have consumed alcohol, your body does not use these carbohydrates for energy, but for breaking down the alcohol. As a result, you are left with few carbohydrates and are more likely to be tired.

 

• Across the border

  Just like exercising with anaesthetics or painkillers, it is not recommended to exercise with alcohol on. This is because it reduces your sense of pain, making you more likely to go over your limit. This causes e.g. overexertion and/or a higher risk of injury.

 

• Risk of cardiac arrhythmias caused by alcohol

  You might recognise it: you've had a good night's drinking and notice that your heart is racing the next day. This is because alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilate, so your heart has to pump harder to get the oxygen everywhere in your body. This can cause, with excessive alcohol consumption, your muscles to not get enough oxygen and even cause cardiac arrhythmias or muscle injury. This is not an ideal scenario for you as an athlete.

 

• Reduction in responsiveness

  Alcohol reduces your ability to concentrate and coordinate. As a result, your reaction time slows down and you are more likely to take risks. This can make you more prone to injury.

 

• Vitamin and mineral deficiency

  Someone who drinks alcohol regularly eats less and therefore gets fewer vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B1 (thiamine). Unfortunately, your body does not produce these vitamins and minerals itself, so it is important to get food with sufficient nutrients. Vitamin B1 allows your body to get energy from food and plays a role in making brain cells. In addition, this vitamin helps break down alcohol, provided of course it is sufficiently present in your body.

 

• Chance of more muscle pain

  Everyone knows that the liver is an important organ in the process of breaking down alcohol. Besides alcohol, the liver also breaks down the lactic acid that forms in your muscles during exercise. Because alcohol is considered a toxin, the liver chooses to break it down first, causing the lactic acid to build up in the muscles. This causes more muscle pain than you might normally be used to.

 

Sports injuries at FriskFysio

Of course, you can have a drink now and then, but we do advise you to keep these negative effects in mind, especially before exercising. In the unlikely event that you do end up with complaints, don't hesitate to contact us. contact  with us. Our (sports) physiotherapists help you with this.