Beer can be great, but alcohol limits sports performance!

What makes an athlete healthy and great at their sport? Not alcohol.

But high quality sleep, a diet with plenty of whole foods, minimal processed foods/ added sugars, consistent training, stress management, emotional and spiritual stability and a good support system set an athlete up for success!

(Still not alcohol.)

Why do athletes drink?

People, including athletes, drink beer, wine and liquor because they enjoy it or want to enjoy an occasion (enhancement strategies), they are dealing with negative emotions (coping strategies), they’re building social bonds (social strategies), or they’re trying to fit in (conformity strategies).¹

Collegiate athletes do all of the above, with any sort of positive reinforcement reasons increasing total amount of alcohol consumed, binge drinking episodes and related alcohol problems.² Stressors specific to athletes include peer pressure, sport or team culture/tradition, sponsorships/NIL deals, and injuries or inability to play.

Adult athletes post-college tend to drink more if they’re better athletes, but (at least in men) have fewer clinical alcohol problems.³

What should someone base alcohol intake on?

Family medical history and personal preference. 

Portion sizes

Alcohol has 7 calories/gram and one standard drink of alcohol in the US has 15 grams.⁴ Even without the added mixers, juice and sweeteners, calories add up quickly in beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks. Note that what counts as a “standard drink” varies from country to country and ranges from 9 grams to 20 grams around the world.

Check out this chart of what counts as “one standard drink” from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.⁵ “One drink” isn’t necessarily what’s in a glass. Instead, the amount of alcohol (15g) is the defining factor. To get 15g of ethanol (ethyl alcohol), currently the guideline for max intake for both men and women per day, one can have no more than one of the following options. 

To use this info effectively, you need some party or socializing strategies. It’s okay to turn down additional drinks, and it’s okay to nurse your one drink all evening. It’s also okay to drink water or have a “cocktail” that all soda and twist. 

What counts as binge drinking?

More than 4 drinks in 2 hours for women and more than 5 drinks in 2 hours for men.⁶ Another way to quantify it is any pattern of alcohol consumption that brings your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) >= 0.08. 

Effects of alcohol on sports performance⁷

• Dehydration
• Increased damage from training and competition, although this seems to vary with training volume and training age/fitness. The more fit someone is, the less damage they’ll sustain. But this is also relative to the level of competition!
• Slower recovery after training or play
  • Possibly reduced testosterone levels, slowing recovery in men, while estrogens have a protective effect in pre-menopausal women. Women might have an advantage here, with less impact from alcohol, but studies are few and numbers of participants are small. 
  • Changed cellular muscle metabolic pathways, with increased inflammation and reduced mitochondrial function
  • Reduced glycogen synthesis, an important part of recovery that sets an athlete up for their next workout
  • Impaired protein synthesis, slowing regeneration after muscle injury from training or mechanical injuries like bruises
  • Altered behavior and lowered inhibitions in key timeframes after training or competition
• Impaired sleep, impacting other bodily functions like hunger/fullness and ability to regulate mood

Rehydrating after dehydrating with alcohol and/or exercise

• Hangovers can impair athletic performance by up to 11%.⁸ It pays to not be dehydrated or hungover.
• Drink fluids with salt like LMNT, Liquid IV, Gatorade Endurance or Pedialyte. Other salty food/liquid combos like chicken noodle soup, ramen, pho, and other Asian brothy soups with noodles are great options too. Don’t just eat the noodles; drink the broth, people!
• Complex liquids with other nutrients that slow down digestion and absorption (as compared to water or sports drinks alone, not compared to other foods) and allow for more absorption of water, like milk, soy or pea milk, and orange juice are also quite effective.⁹

How to work alcohol into your training plan, in order of best to worst.

• Don’t drink at all; go totally dry and abstain 
• Have a dry competitive season and only drink before and after that season. To do this well, only drink in the off season and don’t overindulge when you do drink alcohol.
• Limit alcohol around key training and competition periods
• Try to rehydrate during and after consuming alcohol 
• Avoid getting so drunk that you can’t function the next day because you’re still dehydrated, have zero muscle energy stores and those muscles are still trashed because you didn’t recover properly. Also, you probably can’t focus mentally either because of that nasty headache. 

Eating in social occasions

• Scope out the food and drink options before taking anything. Pick your favorites and have some. Avoid anything that is just “eh.” You do NOT have to try everything. 
• Have some fruit and/or veggies. 
• Maybe have a dessert? Up to you, your planned menu goals, and your training schedule.
• One alcoholic beverage, max, plus plenty of water. 
• Maybe curate your friends list to avoid peer pressure?

What about that comment on family history in the intro?

Most people drink for the reasons above, plus some theoretical heart health benefits. These are minor AT BEST. Alcohol also has a direct and linear relationship with liver disease risk and cancer risk. The more you drink across your lifespan, the more the risk increases.

Should you drink alcohol?

No, but most people do anyway. Think through your family history, your personal risk factors, and whatever social pressures you can’t ignore. Should you decide to drink, work around your training and competition so you can maintain your competitive edge. If you’re dehydrated, get hydrated!

For those who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, please don’t drink – at all! Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is real and can have significant consequences for the baby. Learn more from the CDC¹⁰, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders United¹¹ and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism on alcohol and pregnancy in the US¹² and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.¹³

If you’re in a sport with a known drinking culture and aren’t sure how to handle it, reach out! Dr. Schubert is happy to discuss strategies to keep you on your game. 

Check out these other articles on hydration, winter hydration, environmental factors that impact sweat rate, and ways to lose body heat. This blog on effectively dealing with big holiday or social meals is also helpful!

References

• Sjödin L, Larm P, Karlsson P, Livingston M, Raninen J. Drinking motives and their associations with alcohol use among adolescents in Sweden. Nordisk Alkohol Nark. 2021;38(3):256-269. doi:10.1177/1455072520985974
• Pitts M, Chow GM, Donohue B. Relationship between General and Sport-Related Drinking Motives and Athlete Alcohol Use and Problems. Subst Use Misuse. 2019;54(1):146-155. doi:10.1080/10826084.2018.1512624
• Shuval K, Leonard D, Chartier KG, et al. Fit and Tipsy? The Interrelationship between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Alcohol Consumption and Dependence. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2022;54(1):113-119. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000002777
• Alcohol Calorie Calculator. Rethinking Drinking; Alcoholyou’re your Health. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Accessed January 26, 2024. https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/tools/calculators/calorie-calculator.aspx
• What is a standard drink? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Accessed January 26, 2024.  https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink.
• Health Topics: Binge Drinking. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Accessed January 26, 2024.   https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/health-topics-binge-drinking
• Caceres-Ayala C, Pautassi RM, Acuña MJ, Cerpa W, Rebolledo DL. The functional and molecular effects of problematic alcohol consumption on skeletal muscle: a focus on athletic performance. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2022;48(2):133-147. doi:10.1080/00952990.2022.2041025
• O’Brien CP, Lyons F. Alcohol and the athlete. Sports Med. 2000;29(5):295-300. doi:10.2165/00007256-200029050-00001
• Maughan RJ, Watson P, Cordery PA, et al. A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(3):717-723. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.114769
• Alcohol Use During Pregnancy. Centers for Disease Control. October 23, 2023. Accessed Accessed January 26, 2024.  https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/alcohol-use.html
•  Fact Sheets. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders United. Accessed January 26, 2024. https://fasdunited.org/fact-sheet/
• Alcohol and Pregnancy in the United States. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Accessed January 26, 2024.   https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-and-pregnancy-united-states
• Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Accessed January 26, 2024.   https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders