Acute alcohol consumption aggravates the decline in muscle performance following strenuous eccentric exercise.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual crossover study in humans
PubMed 19230764 · doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2008.12.627
What was done
Eleven healthy males performed 300 maximal eccentric contractions of the quadriceps on an isokinetic dynamometer using one leg, then consumed 1 g/kg bodyweight ethanol (as vodka with orange juice). On another occasion, they performed an equivalent eccentric exercise bout on the contralateral leg followed by an isocaloric orange juice control beverage. Maximal isokinetic (concentric and eccentric) torque, isometric torque, plasma creatine kinase (CK) concentrations, and muscle soreness ratings were measured before and at 36 and 60 hours following each bout.
What was found
All measures of muscle performance were significantly reduced at 36 and 60 hours post-exercise compared to baseline (all p < 0.05). Peak strength reductions occurred at 36 hours post-exercise: the control condition showed losses of 12% (isometric), 28% (concentric), and 19% (eccentric), whereas the alcohol condition showed significantly greater reductions of 34% (isometric), 40% (concentric), and 34% (eccentric). Post-exercise plasma CK activity and muscle soreness ratings were not significantly different between conditions (both p > 0.05).
Why it matters
Moderate alcohol ingestion after strenuous eccentric exercise substantially worsens post-exercise muscular strength deficits. Because muscle soreness and plasma CK levels did not differ between conditions, subjective pain and blood biomarkers may not reflect the true extent of alcohol-induced functional impairment.
Limits
The study was limited by a very small sample size (n = 11) and included only healthy males. The abstract does not report whether the condition order was randomized or how contralateral leg dominance was controlled. Follow-up was limited to 60 hours post-exercise, and cellular or molecular mechanisms were not detailed in the abstract.
Cited by
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