Sports enthusiasts face a question during the holidays, especially the Spring Festival: Can I still exercise as usual after drinking?
People who run regularly may feel that if they had had a few more drinks the night before, they would feel more tired running the next morning than they would have been at other times. If you wear a watch that records health indicators such as heart rate and heart rate variability while sleeping, you will also find that the physiological indicators of sleep after drinking are worse than when you do not drink alcohol.
In addition to the well-known health hazards of drinking, what are the effects of excessive alcohol consumption on the body's motor function? In the case of running, how does alcohol consumption affect a person's performance on the track?
Let's start with the conclusion, you basically can't exercise after drinking. To maintain your health and perform at your best level, it is best not to drink alcohol for 48 hours before exercising. But if you really can't avoid it, try to drink as little as possible.
Where does the energy required for exercise come from?
Let's first understand the requirements of running on a person's physical function, here we take high-intensity running as an example, including long-distance running and short-distance fast running.
Long-distance running requires endurance first and foremost, and short-distance sprints require explosive power. Either way, muscle cells are needed to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to meet the energy needs of exercise.
Muscles produce ATP through different energy metabolism pathways due to different modes of exercise
During high-intensity, short-term exercise, creatine in muscle cells provides energy quickly through the release of phosphoric acid. This process does not require oxygen, but the cells have limited storage of phosphocreatine and can only exercise for a short time.
During moderate-intensity exercise, glycogen (the sugar stored in the muscles) is ultimately produced through the glycolytic pathway, a process that does not require aerobic involvement. The energy supply is relatively fast, but not very efficient.
At lower intensity and for longer periods of exercise, muscles rely primarily on oxygen to oxidize glucose, fat, and lactate to produce large amounts of ATP. This process is more efficient, but comparatively slow.
These three energy pathways work in synergy with each other, and depending on the intensity and duration of exercise, muscles will flexibly use these energy metabolism modalities to meet the energy needs of exercise.
Alcohol intake has a negative impact on the way these muscles produce ATP.
How does alcohol affect exercise?
First of all, alcohol is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration of the body, and dehydration can reduce the blood volume of the circulatory system, affecting the blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscle tissue, thus affecting the production of ATP.
Glycogen is the main form of energy stored by muscles to provide energy for exercise, and alcohol intake interferes with glycogen formation and storage, which can lead to insufficient glycogen stores during exercise, affecting the ability of muscles to produce ATP.
Alcohol intake can also interfere with aerobic metabolism and make muscles more dependent on phosphocreatine metabolism or glycolysis, leading to a decrease in energy production efficiency.
Therefore, excessive alcohol intake can affect the production of ATP in muscles in many of these ways, which in turn affects athletic performance.
Aerobic exercise is supported primarily by glycogen stored in the body, which is limited. **The average glycogen store in the body is about 600 grams, of which 100 grams are stored in the liver, and the sugar in the blood is in dynamic equilibrium, ensuring that the sugar concentration in the blood is maintained in the normal range. Skeletal muscle stores about 500 grams of glycogen, which can provide up to 2,000 kcal of energy, which is about the same as the consumption of a person running a half marathon.
While the muscles quickly deplete glycogen, the body also replenishes the muscles with energy through blood circulation. At this point, glycogen stored in the liver is converted into glucose and released into the bloodstream, where it is transported to the required muscle tissue along the blood circulation. After the liver glycogen is depleted, the liver can also convert the stored fat into glucose through the gluconeogenesis pathway.
Drinking alcohol reduces the liver's ability to produce blood sugar, leading to hypoglycemia and reducing the body's ability to provide energy to muscle tissue. In addition, alcohol interferes with the secretion of insulin by the pancreas, affecting the regulation of blood sugar.
What are the other dangers of excessive alcohol intake?
The above is just a discussion of the effects of alcohol consumption on exercise from the perspective of energy metabolism, alcohol affects exercise ability and can damage the body as a result, and much more:
Alcohol affects the body's absorption and utilization of nutrients, such as minerals and vitamins, which are involved in energy metabolism;
Drinking alcohol before exercise increases the risk of muscle cramps. As mentioned earlier, alcohol inhibits the aerobic pathway to produce ATP, while glycolysis produces large amounts of lactic acid, too much lactic acid can accelerate muscle fatigue and induce cramps;
Alcohol has a sedative effect, leading to a lack of muscle excitement and affecting athletic performance. Drinking alcohol can also reduce the coordination of limbs, leading to slower reflexes and injuries;
Alcohol lowers testosterone levels in the body, which is essential for both muscle development and recovery;
Alcohol can lengthen the time it takes for muscles to recover after exercise and increase bleeding and swelling at the site of soft tissue injury. Pain is an early warning sign for the body, and alcohol can also mask the pain caused by sprains and other injuries, leading to aggravated injuries;
Drinking alcohol causes water loss, as well as the loss of minerals and other trace elements in the body, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, etc., which originally help maintain nerve control over muscles.
A good night's rest is important for the next day's athletic performance, and alcohol can reduce REM sleep time, leading to low energy and lethargy throughout the day. Poor sleep also reduces the body's production of a growth hormone that is important for maintaining muscle function and repair.
Therefore, in order to maintain your health and perform at your best level, it is best not to drink alcohol within 48 hours before exercising. But if you really can't avoid it, you should also drink as little as possible, control the amount of 1 or 2 bottles of ordinary beer, and drink plenty of water at the same time to ensure that your body is not dehydrated.