{"id":633240,"date":"2026-10-17T07:44:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T07:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/633240\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T07:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T07:44:08","slug":"how-much-alcohol-can-runners-drink-without-hurting-their-training-or-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/633240\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Alcohol Can Runners Drink Without Hurting Their Training or Performance?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recent research<\/a> tells us that runners and alcohol<\/a> don\u2019t make ideal training partners. And yet, they often coincide: run clubs can start and end at breweries, a number of marathons offer on-course wine tastings and competitors break records annually at the Beer Mile World Classic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For that reason, some runners may not want to cut out alcohol while training for a race, or generally \u2013 especially if a post-run beer provides an opportunity to spend some extra time with their running buddies. So the question becomes this: \u201cAs a runner, what amount of alcohol can I consume before it starts to meaningfully affect my fitness and performance?\u201d<\/p>\n

The answer isn\u2019t completely clear, Ron Maughan<\/a>, PhD, honorary professor at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, whose research includes the effects of alcohol on athletic performance and recovery, tells Runner\u2019s World.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn awful lot comes down to individual variability,\u201d he says. \u201cA small amount of alcohol that would have little effect on one person can have very profound effects on somebody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Combine this with the fact that scientific evidence is limited \u2013 studies involving the effects of alcohol<\/a> on sports performance can be more challenging to conduct for ethical and liability reasons \u2013 and there\u2019s still a lot that we don\u2019t know, explains Maughan.<\/p>\n

But we can still make some conclusions with a level of certainty. Alcohol has strong effects on the liver, can interfere with sleep<\/a>, influences how we access our energy stores and can impair our muscles\u2019 ability to adapt and recover \u2013 all of which will derail training.<\/p>\n

So is it possible to balance alcohol and a regular running routine without experiencing poor performance outcomes? Here\u2019s what experts say.<\/p>\n

What are the effects of one alcoholic drink?<\/p>\n

Research<\/a> indicates that consuming just one drink \u2013 which is the equivalent of 148ml of wine, 44ml of liquor or 355ml of beer \u2013 within an hour of bedtime can negatively affect sleep quality. Specifically, researchers noted a decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which helps to support cognitive functions like memory, emotional regulation and the ability to focus.<\/p>\n

This might surprise some runners who rely on alcohol to help them fall asleep faster. \u201cWhile sleep latency \u2013 how long it took you to get to sleep \u2013 may be better, your sleep architecture is very much disrupted,\u201d says Pam Nisevich Bede<\/a>, RD, CSSD, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics. \u201cWhen we look at different sleep models in research, we see that sleep duration and quality significantly decrease.\u201d This matters a lot for runners, because sleep<\/a> is our top recovery tool.<\/p>\n

Bede says that alcohol\u2019s impact on sleep is one of her first concerns for any athlete trying to recover efficiently from daily training sessions.<\/p>\n

Beyond that, one drink can also affect your hydration status, because alcohol is a diuretic. \u201cIt\u2019s been estimated that 1g of alcohol will cause you to produce about 10ml of urine over and above what you would normally produce \u2013 so that can have negative consequences,\u201d says Maughan. This is especially the case if it leaves you dehydrated<\/a> before a workout or race, as even mild dehydration can impair endurance performance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He explains, however, that more dilute alcohol solutions, such as a pint of 5% alcohol by volume (ABV) beer, do not have the same dehydrating effects as, say, a shot of 40% ABV whiskey. \u201cBut neither are going to contribute to your overall hydration intake,\u201d adds Bede. For this reason, she recommends drinking additional fluids and electrolytes<\/a> alongside any alcohol that you choose to consume to help offset the dehydrating effects.<\/p>\n

In addition to hydration, alcohol affects the body\u2019s metabolic response to food, which can disrupt our ability to meet nutritional needs during training. \u201cIf we consume alcohol and carbohydrates<\/a> in a meal, the alcohol is metabolised first, so there is a delay in how available our nutrients would be from the meal,\u201d explains Bede. Because the body can\u2019t store alcohol and recognises it as a potentially toxic substance, the liver prioritises breaking it down before other nutrients. This not only delays the recovery process, but also affects how our bodies regulate glucose.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I look at a glucose graph, I can see that someone is on this glucose rollercoaster all night long because they had drinks at the evening meal,\u201d she explains. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to rest, repair and recover. But behind the scenes, your body\u2019s working really hard to metabolise the meal because it was delayed.\u201d The result? You wake up feeling tired, under-recovered and ill-equipped to take on a day of training.<\/p>\n

The long-term effects of alcohol on performance<\/p>\n

Alcohol has strong effects on the liver, because that\u2019s where alcohol is metabolised. And when the liver is busy clearing alcohol from your system, it\u2019s not able to release the glucose from storage that your muscles use for fuel.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe liver is not a great multitasker,\u201d explains Bede. \u201cSo when glycogen storage is impacted, so is our insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism \u2013 it\u2019s a cascade of things that happen.\u201d In practical terms, that can leave you with less readily available fuel for your next workout, making it feel harder to hit your usual paces.<\/p>\n

In the long term, that cascade can eventually include liver and gut damage in cases of high-dose consumption, adds Maughan. It also increases the risk of inadequate nutrition. \u201cYou get calories from alcohol, but you don\u2019t get any other nutrients, vitamins or minerals,\u201d he says. So, if a runner tries to balance their energy needs by eating less to make room for alcohol, they\u2019ll miss out on the nutrition that allows them to recover and perform at their best.<\/p>\n

Repeated alcohol exposure over the long term can also affect an individual\u2019s ability to build and maintain muscle, says Bede.<\/p>\n

According to a systematic review published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology<\/a>, consuming alcohol after resistance exercise<\/a> is associated with reduced muscle protein synthesis \u2013 the process through which our bodies build and repair muscle tissue. The review also found that drinking after exercise increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol while reducing testosterone and the amino acids that your body uses for muscle protein synthesis. Together, those changes make it harder for your body to recover and get stronger after a workout. As a result, researchers believe that this may compromise long-term muscular development and adaptations.<\/p>\n

When should you absolutely abstain to protect performance? <\/p>\n

If you have an important workout, long run<\/a> or race coming up, Bede recommends cutting out all alcohol in the days leading up to it. \u201cIn practice, I would eliminate alcohol<\/a> at least two days before \u2013 or ideally, three,\u201d says Bede. \u201cThat\u2019s because alcohol impairs not only sleep and recovery, but also hydration status.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re really looking to unveil your best performance, she suggests that runners consider completely abstaining from alcohol during heavy training blocks.<\/p>\n

How to minimise the negative effects of alcohol<\/p>\n

If you do choose to drink alcohol during your training, think through your timing, says Bede. If possible, try to consume alcohol earlier in the day so that your body has enough time to metabolise it before you go to sleep. That way, the effect on your sleep quality may not be as severe and your recovery won\u2019t be as hampered, she explains.<\/p>\n

Another tip? Be proactive in making sure that you are on top of all the other recovery variables within your control. \u201cIf you\u2019re absolutely going to drink, make sure that everything else is buttoned up,\u201d says Bede. \u201cCan you make sure that you\u2019re eating regular meals with adequate carbohydrates and protein<\/a>? Can you make sure that you\u2019re staying hydrated? Can you really prioritise sleep in the days prior? This can help to minimise the metabolic effects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alcohol-free options can also be a great swap that allows you to engage socially. While some of those are high in sugar, Bede says that this doesn\u2019t concern her in the case of runners who need to replace glycogen after a hard training session<\/a>. \u201cIf the non-alcoholic option is not your jam, just remember the importance of moderation,\u201d she says. Direct your attention towards what your habits around alcohol look like most of the time \u2013 not just once in a while.<\/p>\n

For many runners, it can be easier to abstain entirely from alcohol than to try to limit themselves to a small amount, says Maughan. But for those who do want to consume it alongside their training, he believes that it is possible to do so without significant negative impacts on performance.<\/p>\n

If pressed for an exact amount that a runner can drink, here\u2019s the one-size-fits-all answer that Maughan shares: \u201cNot so much that it causes you problems, drains your finances, makes you unpleasant company or interferes with your training the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do you have a race on the calendar? Are you keen to run further or faster than before? Become a Runner\u2019s World Club member<\/a> from just \u00a31 to unlock access to a library of 100+ coach-written training plans for all time goals and abilities, plus numerous other perks including discounts and prizes, invitations to exclusive in-person and virtual events, monthly copies of Runner\u2019s World magazine delivered straight to your door and much, much more. <\/p>\n