What the Science Says About Athletes and Alcohol

Alcohol and athletics have always had a complicated relationship. From our primate ancestors’ first taste of fermented fruit to the modern post-race beer tent, drinking and sport seem inseparable — but why?

In this episode of Your Diet Sucks, Zoë and Kylee trace the history of alcohol and endurance sports and dig into the science of how alcohol actually affects performance, recovery, and health. We explore why humans evolved to enjoy alcohol, why it remains so closely tied to running culture, and what the research really says about its impact on athletic performance. (Spoiler: three shots of whiskey will not make you faster on the treadmill.)

If you’ve ever wondered whether that celebratory beer after a long run helps, hurts, or just tastes good, this episode unpacks the evidence.

References:

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Popovic, Dejana; Damjanovic, Svetozar S.; Plecas-Solarovic, Bosiljka; Pešić, Vesna; Stojiljkovic, Stanimir; Banovic, Marko; Ristic, Arsen; Mantegazza, Valentina; Agostoni, Piergiuseppe. Exercise capacity is not impaired after acute alcohol ingestion: a pilot study. Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine 17(12):p 896-901, December 2016. | DOI: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000000151 

The prohibited list. World Anti Doping Agency. (2024, January 1). https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list 

The scientific history of why Humans love drinking booze. (n.d.-a). https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a47449/alcohol-science-history-vice-evans/ 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Major depression. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression 

 Prentice, C., Stannard, S. R., & Barnes, M. J. (2015). Effects of heavy episodic drinking on physical performance in club level rugby union players. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 18(3), 268–271.

 Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, Graziani G, Gaspari A, Minno GD, Ritieni A. Red Wine Consumption and Cardiovascular Health. Molecules. 2019 Oct 8;24(19):3626. doi: 10.3390/molecules24193626. PMID: 31597344; PMCID: PMC6804046.

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 Nam, Y. S., Lee, G., Yun, J. M., & Cho, B. (2018). Testosterone Replacement, Muscle Strength, and Physical Function. The world journal of men's health, 36(2), 110–122.

Judelson, D. A., Maresh, C. M., Anderson, J. M., Armstrong, L. E., Casa, D. J., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J. S. (2007). Hydration and muscular performance: does fluid balance affect strength, power and high-intensity endurance?. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 37(10), 907–921. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200737100-00006

 Sullivan, E. V., Harris, R. A., & Pfefferbaum, A. (2010). Alcohol's effects on brain and behavior. Alcohol research & health : the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 33(1-2), 127–143.

 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2022). Alcohol and the Brain: an Overview | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Www.niaaa.nih.gov. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/alcohol-and-brain-overview

 Stein, M. D., & Friedmann, P. D. (2005). Disturbed sleep and its relationship to alcohol use. Substance abuse, 26(1), 1–13.
Shirreffs, S. M., & Maughan, R. J. (2006). The effect of alcohol on athletic performance. Current sports medicine reports, 5(4), 192–196.

Onate J. (2019). Depression in Ultra-endurance Athletes, A Review and Recommendations. Sports medicine and arthroscopy review, 27(1), 31–34. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSA.0000000000000233

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