Alcohol after exercise lowers muscle glycogen storage when it is drunk instead of the recovery meals; drunk on top of the full meals, its direct effect is unclear
Key Findings
When alcohol (1.5 g/kg) replaced part of the recovery meals, muscle glycogen storage fell (24.4 ± 7 vs 44.6 ± 6 mmol/kg wet weight at 8 h; 68 ± 5 vs 82 ± 5 at 24 h, both P < 0.05).
When the same alcohol was drunk in addition to the full meals: a trend to less storage at 8 h (36.2 ± 8, P = 0.1) and no difference at 24 h (85 ± 9).
Six well-trained cyclists (8-hour study) and nine (24-hour study) after glycogen-depleting cycling; diets were control, alcohol displacing carbohydrate energy, or control plus alcohol.
Authors: the direct effect of alcohol on glycogen synthesis is unclear; the main effect is indirect — alcohol pushes the food out.
Practical Application
If the athlete is going to drink after a hard session, the recovery meal comes first and in full; the damage shown here is from drinking instead of eating.
With the meals eaten, glycogen was restored by 24 hours even at a large alcohol dose — do not claim that alcohol blocks glycogen resynthesis.
Limitations
N = 6 and N = 9; one large dose; the 8-hour trend is non-significant and may be underpowered.
Abstract only was read; sex of participants is not stated there.