Why Serious Cyclists Should Not Drink Alcohol

I have been asked why I think that cyclists should not drink alcohol, and this was my response:Although alcohol contains more energy per gram (7 Cal/gram) than carbohydrates, and it is rapidly absorbed from the intestinal tract, the available evidence suggests these calories are not utilized to any significant extent during exercise. Thus its negative effects outweigh any theoretical positive ones. These include:1) It's a diuretic and contributes to dehydration2) Alcohol lowers your blood pressure while drinking it3) After the alcohol is metabolized in the liver and excreted trough the kidneys the body reacts defensively increasing the blood pressure to compensate the dehydration, so the body tries to retain water doing this which causes not only temporary hypertension and in some people heart palpitations especially if they are athletes who climb in any way, like runner, hikers and cyclists.4) It slows down glucose production, causing hypoglycemia5) It metabolizes in the liver and destroys hepatic cells6) It damages the pancreatic cells as well.7) It disturbs motor skills including balance and coordination.There was a study from Pennsylvania State where 10 women were given a mixed alcohol drink. Then they made them ride stationary bikes for 30 minutes at 70-75% of their maximum heart rate. Compared to their own baseline performance off alcohol, cycling after drinking alcohol required more energy, produced a higher heart rate, and stimulated a higher cardiovascular demand. Even moderate drinking while exercising placed increased demands on the cardiovascular system.The bottom line is a definite negative influence on cycling performance.Now, you would probably want to ask me: but what's wrong when drinking a few glasses of alcohol and not riding until the next day when the alcohol has been excreted from your body?Alcohol intake affects the brain. The next day the brain is dead half the day because of blood sugar spikes. This doesn't mean they can't ride hard, but it does mean that they can't do much except lay around the rest of the day after a ride. Plus they seem to get injured a lot.I would say a glass of red wine a week with one's dinner is OK, and it also depends on  how serious the cyclist is about cycling.