Alcohol and exercise do not mix. Booze not only limits the amount of oxygenated blood that reaches your muscles, but also reduces reaction times and compromises balance. It’s also universally accepted that it’s not a great idea to drink immediately after exercise. Research released in PLOS One, a scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science, found that having just two alcoholic drinks after an ‘intense workout’ reduces the body’s ability to build and repair muscle by 37%, while a study in the Journal of Applied.
Physiology concluded that consuming a drink ‘with at least 4% alcohol’ after physical exertion severely limits one’s ability to recover from dehydration.
These findings are supported by Michael Gleeson, emeritus professor of exercise biochemistry at Loughborough University, and author of bestselling books Sport Nutrition (2019) and Nutrition For Top Performance In Football (2022).
“Alcohol can interfere with recovery by impairing the ability to restore liver and glycogen reserves, repair damaged muscle and achieve rehydration,” Gleeson tells “Athletes should, therefore, minimise or avoid alcohol intake during key blocks of
