I learned to ski a few years ago, and one of the aspects of ski culture I could not help but notice is the normalization of binge drinking or “aprà s” after spending a day on the slopes. I know I am a health professional, and I see food and beverage choices a little differently after mountain activities, but I felt like there was an elephant in the room the first time I sat down at a well known bar in Teton Village after my first ski lesson.
In my head, I was thinking about the byproducts of alcohol metabolism, and one of those is lactic acid. So I knew if I drank more than one beer, I would be even more sore than I already would be from learning a new sport. But I wanted to fit in, and I think this is an issue. I am not sure when this culture started in mountain towns, but it is difficult to be in social settings and not feel pressure to drink more than one to two drinks when everyone around you seems to be drinking alcohol like it is water.
I would be a hypocrite if I said I do not indulge in a few drinks with friends on a regular basis, but I am currently scaling back my overall alcohol intake for several reasons that I will outline below. I also want to provide some recommendations on how to actually drink responsibly to improve your overall health.
Mountain Sports & Alcohol’s Impact on Performance
After endurance activities like backcountry skiing, mountain biking, trail running, etc, it is important to consume a meal with carbohydrates and protein to replenish glycogen stores and stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Consuming alcohol after a training session of any kind actually decreases muscle protein synthesis, interferes with glycogen synthesis, and delays the body’s ability to recover properly from whatever activity you just performed. In other words, alcohol hinders athletic performance.
Alcohol also has a dehydrating effect on the body, which can affect the quality and duration of upcoming training sessions or mountain adventures. “When rapid rehydration is required, athletes should rely on non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic beverages. Education efforts with athletes should reflect the reality that many individuals will choose to consume alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. For those who do drink coffee, sodas, beer, and similar beverages, the best advice is to do so in moderation, avoiding such drinks in the first few hours after physical activity,”(1).
Alcohol & Sleep
Since alcohol is a depressant, it can help you fall asleep faster, but the quality of sleep will be lower. Alcohol disrupts restorative sleep cycles, especially rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Lack of sleep is associated with increased risk for injuries, poor stress management, brain fog and memory issues and weight gain. I have several reasons for cutting back my overall alcohol intake, but to improve my sleep is probably one of the biggest reasons for me personally.
Alcohol & Hormones
Cortisol and testosterone are two hormones that affect muscle growth. “Cortisol fuels protein breakdown while testosterone elevates protein synthesis. Studies have indicated that alcohol (2-3 drinks/day) impairs testosterone levels by decreasing secretion of testosterone, which can impair protein synthesis and negatively affect the results from resistance training over time,” (2). Also, decreased quality of sleep from alcohol consumption increases cortisol production, which can lead to muscle breakdown.
So how do I drink alcohol responsibly? What does that look like?
We often hear or see the phrase, “drink responsibly” during commercials and advertisements for alcoholic brands. Alcohol in moderation means 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink a day for women.
1 drink equals…
- 12 ounces of beer
- 5 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (vodka, gin, rum, whiskey)
If you consume more than this when you’re consuming alcohol, that is actually binge drinking. Chronic binge drinking over time can lead to long-term health issues and also increase your risk for certain diseases including cancer. Moreover, chronic binge drinking for an extended period of time can lead to alcohol addiction, which can exacerbate the health problems you already have. With the help of an alcohol treatment center, you can overcome addiction, but the preferred course of action would be to control alcohol consumption to prevent binge drinking. This requires self-control and good practice of following a routine. When practical steps are taken to follow a routine, it is challenging to go back to old ways. You could seek medical care or medical assistance for a recovery plan. They follow a systematic plan and implement them instantly to help patients. There are a lot of treatment centers like Innovative Health Systems or similar others that provide such services.
Tips for Smart Sipping
- “Hydrate, Dehydrate” – I often use this phrase with clients, meaning to start the evening with a glass of water before sipping on your alcoholic beverage, then follow each beverage with 1-2 glasses of water to maintain hydration status since alcohol has a dehydrating effect. Staying hydrated will help prevent feelings of lethargy/sluggishness following an evening of drinking.
- Try non-alcoholic beverages like sparkling water or non-alcoholic beer! One of my current favorites is by Athletic Brewing, which you can find at Healthy Being Juicery, The Liquor Store by Albertson’s and Whole Foods.
- If you’ve just finished a bike ride or ski tour, have a balanced meal containing protein and carbohydrates first before you consume that post-adventure beer.
- Aim to have at least a couple days a week where you do not consume alcohol as a way to let your body reset from its effects. Currently, I am choosing not to drink during the week and keeping my alcohol consumption to a minimum on the weekends.
Sources:
- “Sports Nutrition: A Handbook for Professionals”, C. Karpinski, C.A. Rosenbloom. 2017
- “How Does Alcohol Effect Athletic Performance?”, A. Asche, Eleat Sports Nutrition
- “Fact About Moderate Drinking”, CDC Guidelines
- “Out of the Shadows, Part 3 | Skiing town, drinking problem: Steamboat’s party culture makes it hard to get, stay sober”, Steamboat Pilot & Today. June 2021
