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2016-06-29 17:44:06
Markham Heid @markhamh
June 15, 2016
A pre-gym pint or glass of wine could impair your workout.
It happens at least once a week: you re intent on exercising after work, and
you ve reserved your space at the studio. But then your colleagues cajole you
into a happy hour drink (or two). You could still make it to the gym, but you
re not sure that s such a hot idea.
And you d be right. At least when it comes to the muscle-building benefits of
exercise, alcohol is an unhelpful workout partner, says John Hawley, head of
the exercise and nutrition research group at Australian Catholic University. In
a study published in 2014, Hawley found that athletes who knocked back a few
drinks after working out had lower rates of protein synthesis which increases
muscle size and also aids muscle repair, both of which are essential if you
want to build strength or stamina through exercise compared to athletes who
didn t drink after working out. One would expect the results to be the same
for alcohol intake before exercise, Hawley says.
Another study this one from New Zealand concluded that an adult beverage could
also limit you muscles ability to take up and utilize glucose. Since your
muscles rely on glucose for energy, your performance on endurance-related tasks
would almost certainly take a hit, the study suggests. You d also likely burn
fewer calories during exercise and between gym visits.
Muscle physiology aside, the quality and intensity of your workouts might
suffer if you re a little tipsy. Hawley mentions impaired motor skill and
athletic performance as two likely side effects of alcohol. And while a wobbly
warrior pose isn t the end of the world, weightlifting could be risky. A recent
study of people who did CrossFit found rates of injury went up as a person s
form broke down.
There s also the question of staying motivated during your workout. Assuming
you find the willpower to hit the gym even after a drink, pushing yourself
through that final set or steep hill-climb may prove tougher if you ve been
drinking, indicates research from England s Edge Hill University. The study
team found just smelling alcohol was enough to weaken people s willpower.
All of this may seem like a bummer if you re fond of both alcohol and exercise.
And that s many of us: people who work out regularly are also more likely to
drink regularly, compared to their less-active buddies, found research from
Pennsylvania State University.