Relationship Between Alcohol And Exercise

It is very normal at this time and age for one to look forward to a Friday afternoon for a round of drinks with pals, to wind down and relax. Most people feel that it is a well deserved treat, but there are things that you ought to keep in mind. For one, just because it is a weekend doesn’t mean it is not an exercise day. Most people however believe that a few alcoholic drinks will do no harm just because they are on a regular exercise regime.

Research has proven that even the tiniest amount of alcohol in your body will enhance muscular fortitude and the productivity of strength. Unfortunately, these are just short-term benefits as after about 20 minutes, the complications will start to surface. Every known negative side effect of alcohol will prevail over any potential benefit that you can derive.

Negative alcohol side effects are known to reduce one’s aerobic abilities, endurance, strength, capability to metabolize fat, recovery time, and muscle development. The effects are known to also have negative impact on the central nervous system and the brain. Short term alcohol use will reduce the nerve muscle contraction resulting in a loss of strength. Long term alcohol use on the other hand has been known to deteriorate the central nervous system severely.

The moment alcohol gets on your blood and muscle cells; it will damage them severely, it is known to inflame muscle cells. When the cells are damaged, they will die over time which means the muscles will be less functional during contractions. Similarly, consumption of alcohol will make the muscles sore after working out, which means you will take a longer time to convalesce. The heart and circulatory systems will also not be left behind when it comes to effects of alcohol.

Once you consume alcohol, you will start to see a diminished endurance capability. This is to say that every time you take alcohol, the rate at which you lose heat will increase. This is because alcohol replicates your body’s blood vessels dilation. Heat loss means your muscles will become cold hence become weaker and slower while contracting.

Alcohol consumption affects digestion too. This is because it discharges insulin which will boost glycogen metabolism, and as a result make losing of fat difficult as fats will be spared. Since alcohol interferes with the absorption rate of vital nutrients, chances of becoming anemic and undersupplied with Vitamin B are very high.

Biologically, the liver is in charge of alcohol detoxification thus the more you drink the more you overload your liver. This overload can cause severe damages to the liver, to an extent of destroying some of its cells. Alcohol is also known to be diuretic thus large consumptions of it will stress the kidneys, resulting in water retention.

By and large, before you consume alcohol, think of your health; never consume alcohol prior to working out. Regardless of your perception of alcohol, it is poisonous and will harm your body if you aren’t cautious, but if you must, consume in moderation.