How Alcohol Affects Your Training Results
- Fysiobasen
- Nov 16, 2025
- 3 min read
Alcohol is a popular social beverage — but when it comes to fitness and performance, it can have serious negative effects.From slowing muscle growth to disrupting sleep and increasing injury risk, alcohol can undermine even the best training programs.
In this article, we break down how alcohol affects the body before, during, and after exercise, and what you can do to minimize the damage.
How Alcohol Affects Muscle Growth
One of the main ways alcohol interferes with training is by inhibiting muscle protein synthesis — the process your body uses to repair and build new muscle tissue after workouts.
Research shows that alcohol reduces the body’s ability to synthesize protein, which slows muscle recovery and growth.
How it affects training:Alcohol lowers testosterone levels, a key hormone for muscle development, while increasing cortisol, a stress hormone that promotes muscle breakdown.This hormonal imbalance can significantly reduce strength gains and overall progress.
Effect: Reduced muscle growth and slower recovery.
Alcohol and Endurance Performance
Alcohol also negatively affects endurance and cardiovascular performance.It interferes with the body’s ability to regulate temperature, increases dehydration risk, and impairs coordination — all of which can make endurance training harder and more dangerous.
How it affects endurance:Alcohol acts as a diuretic, increasing fluid loss and decreasing hydration levels.Dehydration leads to fatigue, muscle cramps, and reduced stamina during prolonged activities like running, cycling, or swimming.
Effect: Increased dehydration, fatigue, and reduced endurance capacity.
Alcohol’s Impact on Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important factors for recovery and performance, and alcohol disrupts it significantly.Although alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, it reduces deep sleep and REM stages — the phases where most physical and mental recovery occurs.
How it affects sleep:With less restorative sleep, your body has limited time for muscle repair, immune recovery, and hormonal regulation.This results in slower progress, impaired focus, and higher injury risk over time.
Effect: Poor sleep quality and impaired recovery.
Alcohol and Fat Burning
Drinking alcohol can interfere with fat metabolism.When alcohol enters your system, your body prioritizes breaking it down over metabolizing fat and carbohydrates — essentially putting fat burning on hold.
How it affects fat metabolism:Because the body treats alcohol as a toxin, it stops burning fat until all alcohol is metabolized.This can lead to increased fat storage, especially when alcohol is consumed alongside high-calorie foods.
Effect: Reduced fat burning and higher fat accumulation.
Increased Risk of Injury
Alcohol impairs coordination, balance, and reaction time — all critical for safe movement during training.This can increase the likelihood of muscle strains, joint injuries, or accidents during workouts.
How it increases injury risk:By depressing the central nervous system, alcohol slows reflexes and weakens movement control.Performing exercises with poor technique under these conditions increases the chance of acute or overuse injuries.
Effect: Higher risk of injuries and reduced motor control.
How to Minimize the Negative Effects
If you choose to drink alcohol while training, there are ways to reduce its impact on performance and recovery:
Drink in moderation: Avoid heavy drinking, especially right before or after training sessions.
Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise to counteract alcohol’s dehydrating effects.
Prioritize recovery: Get sufficient sleep, eat nutritious meals, and allow time for recovery after workouts.
Effect: Moderate alcohol use combined with strong recovery habits can reduce its negative influence on training results.
Summary
Alcohol can have multiple adverse effects on your training — from slower muscle growth and reduced endurance to poorer sleep and higher injury risk.For optimal results, it’s crucial to understand how alcohol impacts your body and take steps to protect your progress.
By drinking in moderation, staying hydrated, and prioritizing recovery, you can maintain performance and minimize the downsides of alcohol consumption.
Sources
Parr EB, et al. Alcohol ingestion impairs maximal post-exercise rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis following a single bout of resistance exercise. PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e88384.
Vella LD, et al. The effect of alcohol consumption on recovery following resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(6):1610–1617.
Barnes MJ. Alcohol: Impact on sports performance and recovery in male athletes. Sports Med. 2014;44(7):909–919.
Mah CD, et al. The effects of alcohol on sleep and athletic recovery. Sleep Med Rev. 2018;37:23–34.
Shirreffs SM, et al. Effects of alcohol on recovery following exercise-induced dehydration. J Appl Physiol. 2007;102(2):564–572.
