Alcohol, regeneration and sports performance - what is important to consider?

Recovery begins the moment training ends. The first hours after the effort are crucial — that is when the processes of repair and long-term adaptation of the body are triggered. Nutrition plays a fundamental role here: it helps replenish glycogen stores, rehydrate the body and support the building of new muscle protein.
To maximise these processes, research suggests it is ideal to consume roughly 20–25 g of quality protein shortly after the effort and then every 3–4 hours.

Alcohol as part of sports culture

In many sports, drinking alcohol after training or a race is a normal part of team culture. Quite often it takes the form of so-called “binge drinking” – heavy drinking of a large amount of alcohol in one go.
Studies show that athletes often drink more than the general population. This can have two consequences:

1. a direct physiological effect – alcohol affects the recovery process;

2. an indirect effect – alcohol replaces food, fluids or quality sleep, all of which are essential for recovery.

Alcohol and glycogen replenishment

The rate at which the body restores muscle glycogen stores after exercise can be slowed down by alcohol. In most cases this effect is indirect – after drinking alcohol people often eat fewer carbohydrates, which would otherwise help replace their energy. The direct effect of alcohol itself on glycogen synthesis is so far less clear.

The effect of alcohol on sports performance and muscle growth

Alcohol and protein synthesis

More recent studies show that drinking alcohol reduces muscle protein synthesis after training, even when protein is consumed alongside it.
In other words, alcohol disrupts the body's ability to repair and build muscle fibres – which can weaken both your training results and your recovery.

Alcohol, sleep and performance

Besides its direct effect on recovery, alcohol also has several other negative effects:

• It worsens sleep quality, especially when consumed in larger amounts or shortly before bed. The body may fall asleep faster, but it does not reach the deep restorative phases of REM sleep.

• It reduces performance the next day, even without a “hangover”. Studies show reduced lower-limb muscle strength after an evening of drinking.

• It affects coordination and cognitive function, which increases the risk of injury in training or a race.

How much alcohol is enough to affect recovery?

Bear in mind that most scientific studies use fairly high doses of alcohol – typically 1 gram of alcohol per kilogram of body weight.
For an 80-kilogram person that corresponds to roughly 80 g of alcohol, i.e. about 10 units of alcohol (approximately 3.5 beers or 4 glasses of wine).
That amount demonstrably does have a negative impact on recovery.
Moderate consumption (e.g. 1 glass of wine or a beer) has not yet been studied sufficiently, but it probably has only a small or no effect – provided the overall recovery regime (nutrition, sleep, hydration) is otherwise optimal.

You can find more information about sleep and recovery in this article.

Summary

• Alcohol may limit protein synthesis and slow glycogen replenishment after training.

• It has a negative effect on sleep, hydration and coordination.

• The main risk is binge drinking – that is, drinking a larger amount of alcohol in one go.

• A small amount of alcohol (e.g. one glass of wine) probably has no significant effect, as long as you otherwise give your body what it needs for recovery.

Conclusion

If your goal is better performance and effective recovery, it pays to cut down on alcohol – especially after and before hard training sessions and races. The occasional glass with friends probably will not reduce your performance, but regular or excessive drinking can slow down your training and sporting progress.

References:

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2. O'Brien CP, Lyons F. Alcohol and the athlete. Sports Med. 2000 May;29(5):295-300. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200029050-00001. PMID: 10840864.
3. Arthur I. Cederbaum, Alcohol Metabolism, Clinics in Liver Disease, Volume 16, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 667-685, ISSN 1089-3261, ISBN 9781455749171, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.002.Dostupné z: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1089326112000852
4. Chemie nebezpečného alkoholového opojení. Přírodovědci.cz [online]. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, 2012 [cit. 2023-08-02]. Dostupné z: https://www.prirodovedci.cz/chemik/clanky/chemie-nebezpecneho-alkoholoveho-opojeni