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Running And Alcohol: Runners And Alcohol | Running And Alcohol Mix

Running and alcohol

Running and alcohol is known to be a bad combination especially for professional runners. Drinking large quantities of alcohol especially till late night tends to result in poor sleep and this in turn can completely ruin the training session the next day. Moreover alcohol is also known to have a diuretic effect which means that the more fluids one consumes the more they tend to lose. This process of losing fluids is very unhealthy for the next session of exercising and also for recovery. Those who take up running for the sake of losing weight should also keep off from alcohol as it results in an increase in one’s appetite thereby resulting in the individual overeating. Technically, moderate drinking for women is defined as one drink per day and two drinks per day for men. Running and alcohol can be a dangerous combination as alcohol being a powerful diuretic can result in staggering electrolyte imbalances and also dehydration in the individual. Severe dehydration may last for quite a few days and the individual may take almost a week to recover fully. An athlete is at a greater risk of various musculoskeletal injuries which include muscle pulls, cramps and muscle strains when dehydrated and hence running and alcohol should not be mixed. Alcohol also tends to adversely affect the performance of the individual while running as it tends to impair ones mental acuity and reaction time for several days after being consumed. Consuming alcohol also results in a decrease in coordination of the hand and the eye and also tends to impair ones sense of judgment. Those who consume alcohol and exercise may experience an increase in the soreness post exercise as alcohol tends to interfere with the lactic acid breakdown in the body. Alcohol being calorie rich also does not serve the purpose of running for fitness. Alcohol being high in calories also tends to break down the various amino acids and store them as fat thereby promoting the storage of fat and also causing an increase in the percentage of body fat. Running and alcohol is also not advisable because alcohol tends to over stimulate the cells present in the lining of the stomach. These cells produce acid and this increase in the acid levels in the stomach resulting in the development of ulcers and heartburn. The intestinal cells thereby fail to absorb various minerals and vitamins which in turn may result in vitamin deficiencies and electrolyte imbalances in the individual.

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