Alcohol can effect the body in a number of ways, some good and some bad.  It's a given that alcohol and exercise at the same time don't mix. But studies have shown, that excessive drinking (more than one or two drinks at a time) can seriously hinder your athletic performance up to 60 hours later.

The recent study was conducted in New Zealand to determine the effects of alcohol on training.  The participants performed a 300 rep quadricep exercise and their results were recorded.  Half of the participants then consumed six to eight screwdrivers (orange juice mixed with vodka), and the other half were given pure orange juice.  36 hours later, the subjects returned to the gym.  As you might have guessed, the participants who drank alcohol showed signs of poor recovery.  They could not match their previous performance, and they produced less torque than before when performing the same exercise.

Drinking in excess will hurt your body in a number of ways. Impaired balance, decreased strength, dehydration, fatigue, disrupted sleep and a lack of focus are all negative side effects caused by alcohol.  Some studies have shown that alcohol can effect your sports performance for up to 60 hours after your last sip.

If you like to drink, here are some tips to help minimize alcohol’s negative effects on your body.  Stay away from fruity/creamy drinks.  They have the most sugar and calories, so they are likely to get stored as body fat.  Drink water in between alcoholic drinks.  It will help keep you hydrated and trick your body into thinking it’s full, so you won’t drink as much.  Drink red wine instead of beer.  Wine has less calories per ounce than beer.  Also, beer lowers testosterone and increases estrogen, but red wine has a compound that is actually anti-estrogenic.

Occasional, moderate drinking is ok, and can actually have some positive effects on your health.  If you drink more than a couple drinks, however, your performance on the field and in the gym will not be 100%.