Influence of daily beer or ethanol consumption on physical fitness in response to a high-intensity interval training program. The BEER-HIIT study.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Controlled trial with participant self-selection into alcohol vs alcohol-free preference arms prior to sub-randomization
PubMed 32460793 · doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00356-7
What was done
Healthy young adults (n = 73, 35 females, age 24 ± 6 years) were allocated into five groups. One group served as a non-training control (n = 15). The remaining participants chose whether they preferred alcohol or alcohol-free beverages and were subsequently randomized to: (1) alcoholic beer (5.4%, n = 13), (2) sparkling water with vodka (5.4% ethanol, n = 14), (3) sparkling water (0.0%, n = 16), or (4) alcohol-free beer (0.0%, n = 15). Training groups performed a 10-week (2 days/week) HIIT program. Men consumed 330 ml at lunch and 330 ml at dinner; women consumed 330 ml at dinner (at least Monday to Friday). Outcomes assessed before and after were absolute and relative VO2max, maximal heart rate, total test duration, hand grip strength, and four types of vertical jumps.
What was found
HIIT induced significant improvements in absolute and relative VO2max and total test duration (all p < 0.05) across all training groups, with clinical improvements in hand grip strength. These adaptations were not influenced by beer or alcohol intake. No changes in vertical jumps occurred in any group. The abstract reports no numerical values or effect sizes.
Why it matters
These findings suggest that moderate regular consumption of beer or equivalent alcohol during the week does not hinder cardiorespiratory or grip strength improvements from low-frequency HIIT in healthy young adults.
Limits
Allocation between alcohol and non-alcohol tracks was based on participant choice rather than full randomization. Subgroup sample sizes were small (13–16 participants per arm). The abstract lacks numerical baseline/post-intervention data, exact effect sizes, and precision estimates.
Cited by
- supports In the 10-week BEER-HIIT study, consuming moderate alcohol (one drink with lunch and dinner for men, one at dinner for women, 5 days/week) did not impair VO2 max improvements from high-intensity interval training compared to non-drinkers.