For many people, finding time to work out means exercising during their leisure time after a busy day. When juggling work commitments and family responsibilities, it makes sense that many people consider capping off a trip to the gym with an alcoholic beverage.
What’s more, some events, such as Tough Mudder (an obstacle-based mud run) and the Marathon du Médoc in Bordeaux, France, offer alcoholic drinks either at the end of or throughout the course as part of the overall experience.
But aside from celebrating the end of a training season, tough race, or long day, you may wonder whether drinking alcohol after working out serves a purpose.
This article delves into the effects of drinking alcohol after exercise to explore whether there are health benefits to a post-workout toast — or just a potential hangover.
That depends. If you have specific goals — for example, to build muscle — and you’re looking for effective and efficient ways to achieve this goal, it’s probably best to abstain from drinking right after a workout.
This is because alcohol slows the natural recovery process from your workout session by elevating your cortisol levels, decreasing your testosterone levels, and inhibiting protein synthesis (
Jenaed Brodell is a well-known Registered Dietitian and Sports Scientist practicing at Nutrition & Co. in the United Kingdom. She explains, “Your body treats alcohol as a toxin; therefore, muscle and fat burning is inhibited as your body prioritizes getting rid of alcohol.”
Physiologically, it’s not helpful to drink after a workout if you’re attempting to achieve fitness gains, especially if you enjoy a post-workout alcoholic beverage regularly.
However, having a drink after a workout once in a while isn’t really going to have long-term effects. If the end of your workout overlaps with the beginning of a social function, completing your workout is most likely better than not doing it at all.
Suzie Wylie, a former professional Muay Thai fighter and Registered Nutritionist at the London Clinic of Nutrition, focuses on the importance of keeping yourself hydrated if you do decide to drink alcohol after exercise.
“The first priority following a workout should be to replenish electrolytes, rehydrate with water, and fuel correctly with a nutritious meal or snack consisting of both carbohydrates and protein. For most people, waiting at least 1 hour between finishing your workout and having your first alcoholic beverage is a good minimum to aim for,” she says.
In fact, exercise has been shown to help decrease the urge to drink (
“So, after waiting an hour or two, you may find you don’t want that alcoholic beverage after all,” she goes on to say.
Moderate alcohol consumption reduces the rate of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) following strenuous exercise (
Your body needs carbs and protein to recover from exercise.
One study found that even when alcohol is consumed with protein after exercise, MPS is reduced by up to 37%. This affects recovery, muscle growth, and adaptation to exercise, especially after resistance training and high intensity interval training (
Wylie notes that it also depends on how much you drink. “The inhibitory effects on protein synthesis are larger the more you drink,” she explains.
Still, while alcohol won’t help you gain muscle mass, it probably won’t hinder your recovery. A few studies including both men and women found that moderate amounts of alcohol consumed after exercise didn’t necessarily inhibit muscular recovery (
“Although alcohol consumption following a workout has been shown to impair MPS, it hasn’t been shown to have a long-term negative influence on performance. This does not imply that alcohol consumption has any benefits following a workout, though,” says Wylie.
While there aren’t really any benefits to drinking after a workout, if you do have an adult beverage, choose wisely.
Brodell suggests beer over liquor. “If you have to drink, go for a beer,” she advises.
“Beer contains electrolytes and carbohydrates. I’d recommend trying to alternate between water and beer every few sips to keep the rehydration going. It’s important to keep in mind that no conclusive evidence shows that drinking a beer after your workout is beneficial. However, in comparison to spirits, it’s the lesser of the two evils.”
To date, research does not suggest that consuming moderate amounts of alcohol after a workout harms long-term health among individuals without alcohol dependency
Brodell highlights dehydration as a risk. “The biggest concern when it comes to drinking alcohol after exercise is dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it encourages your body to release more fluids,” she explains.
“When we exercise, especially at higher intensities or in hot climates, we lose a large amount of fluid from sweating, have electrolyte depletions, and can also have a reduction in blood volume as the body tries to cool. It’s important to restore these fluid levels post-workout, but drinking alcohol can delay that process.”
If you’re nursing an injury, Brodell says alcohol could also be detrimental.
“Alcohol consumption post-exercise can also introduce additional swelling into your tissues, since it opens up blood vessels. It can make an injury worse by encouraging swelling at the injury site. This occurs by inhibiting the functions of hormones that usually aid this recovery process, such as testosterone,” she goes on to say.
“A meal or snack consisting of both carbohydrates and protein consumed shortly after your workout will help replenish the stored energy in your muscles. Snacking while drinking alcohol will also help slow its absorption.”
Rehydration and restoring electrolytes is the number one priority post-workout.
Therefore, drinking alcohol after your workout isn’t ideal. For the best results — especially when it comes to muscle growth — avoid alcohol and refuel with plenty of protein and carbs.
Done in moderation and only occasionally, drinking after a workout won’t harm you. Beer may have a slight edge over liquor when it comes to choosing your post-exercise beverage, but be sure to double fist with water, too, so your body can fully rehydrate.
I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of the relationship between alcohol consumption and exercise, backed by extensive knowledge in nutrition, sports science, and physiology. My insights are grounded in the expertise of professionals such as Jenaed Brodell, a renowned Registered Dietitian and Sports Scientist from Nutrition & Co. in the United Kingdom, and Suzie Wylie, a former professional Muay Thai fighter and Registered Nutritionist at the London Clinic of Nutrition.
Let's break down the key concepts addressed in the article:
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Alcohol and Exercise Performance: The article emphasizes that if your goal is to build muscle or achieve fitness gains, it's advisable to abstain from drinking right after a workout. Alcohol slows down the natural recovery process by elevating cortisol levels, decreasing testosterone levels, and inhibiting protein synthesis.
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Physiological Impact of Alcohol: Jenaed Brodell explains that the body treats alcohol as a toxin, prioritizing its elimination over processes like muscle and fat burning. Regular post-workout alcohol consumption is physiologically counterproductive for those aiming for fitness gains.
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Timing of Alcohol Consumption: Suzie Wylie suggests waiting at least 1 hour between finishing a workout and having the first alcoholic beverage. This time frame allows for replenishing electrolytes, rehydration with water, and proper nutrition with a meal or snack containing carbohydrates and protein.
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Effects on Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS): Moderate alcohol consumption, even when combined with protein, can reduce muscle protein synthesis by up to 37%. This reduction affects recovery, muscle growth, and adaptation, particularly after resistance training and high-intensity interval training.
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Alcohol and Muscle Mass: While alcohol consumption won't necessarily hinder overall recovery, it does not contribute to muscle mass gain. Some studies indicate that moderate amounts of alcohol after exercise did not significantly inhibit muscular recovery, but the inhibitory effects on protein synthesis increase with higher alcohol consumption.
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Dehydration Risks: One of the primary concerns associated with drinking alcohol after exercise is dehydration. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, promoting fluid loss, which can delay the restoration of fluid levels post-workout. This is particularly relevant for individuals exercising at higher intensities or in hot climates.
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Injury Considerations: Alcohol consumption post-exercise can potentially exacerbate injuries by introducing additional swelling into tissues. It opens up blood vessels, inhibiting the functions of hormones like testosterone that aid in the recovery process.
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Choosing Wisely: If individuals choose to have an alcoholic beverage after a workout, beer is suggested over liquor. Beer contains electrolytes and carbohydrates, and the advice is to alternate between water and beer to maintain hydration. However, it's crucial to note that there is no conclusive evidence supporting the idea that drinking beer post-workout is beneficial.
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Moderation and Occasional Consumption: The article concludes that, done in moderation and only occasionally, drinking after a workout won't harm you. However, the primary focus should be on rehydration and restoring electrolytes, making alcohol consumption less than ideal for optimal results, especially in terms of muscle growth.
In summary, the consensus among experts is that prioritizing rehydration and proper nutrition is crucial after a workout, and regular alcohol consumption can potentially hinder fitness goals. The decision to drink after exercise should be made in moderation, considering the potential impact on muscle recovery and overall health.
