But since it’s part of your routine, you never do a workout session without drinking a pre-workout to enhance your focus and performance.
Before you get the idea of experimenting with this combo, let’s dig into the question of whether can you mix pre-workout with alcohol below.
Is It Safe to Mix Alcohol and Pre-Workout?
No, it’s not safe to mix alcohol and pre-workout drinks since alcohol will make it difficult for your body to utilize its nutrients and effects.
Sure, drinking alcohol before workout can make you feel good and confident, but frequently repeating this combination will deteriorate your fitness goals and health in the long run.
Since alcohol is a depressant, excess consumption will inhibit your motor skills which could lead to injury. It will also slow down your body’s ability to produce energy, making it difficult to do high-intensity exercises.
Mixing it with your pre-workout will also increase your chances of liver complications and cause dehydration.
And this isn't even talking about most pre-workouts where you don't even know all the ingredients in them, which could make any interaction with alcohol even more dangerous. If you want complete transparency and natural ingredients, try Legacy's Natural Pre-Workout at 20% off and get better pump compared to the other companies as well!
Why Alcohol Can Compromise Your Workout (& Your Safety)
As discussed above, mixing pre-workout with alcohol is a damaging combination since it can lead to major health complications.
To help you understand how harmful it can be, let’s discuss its side effects further:
Leads to injuries
Aside from being a depressant, alcohol also reduces your cerebral activity which can affect your balance, reaction time, and motor skills.
Since these factors are essential during exercise, lowered brain function can lead to injuries especially if you’re handling heavy weights or operating large exercise machines.
Lowered inhibitions also won’t help your case since you’re more likely to do something dangerous when you’re inebriated.
Depletes energy
Once alcohol gets into your system, it slows down your muscle cells’ ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and impedes the process of creating glucose from other sources.
Since ATP is your muscles’ energy source, having lower levels in your body can lead to depleted energy and restricted endurance.
So no matter how many jumping jacks you’d want to do, having alcohol in your system would rather make you want to lie down on the floor and fall asleep.
Increased blood pressure
Since most pre-workouts contain multiple stimulants, like caffeine, mixing alcohol in your system can lead to rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure.
Since these effects can last up to 12 hours depending on the amount you’ve consumed, putting your body in high gear during a workout can place a massive strain on your cardiovascular system.
When done repeatedly, this cycle can increase your risk of getting a stroke or heart attack.
Damages organs
Some pre-workout supplements contain a type of amino acid, called creatine.
Although your body naturally produces it, companies sometimes add it to pre-workout formulas to improve your performance and enhance muscle mass.
Mixing creatine and alcohol may have the opposite effect since it can intensify the negative effects of alcohol in your liver.
It also targets the organs that naturally produce creatine (e.g. kidneys and muscles), and slows down its production.
Since these organs need creatine as fuel, lower levels in your body can affect muscle contraction thus weakening your body.
For the ultimate pre-workout that has natural ingredients with a simple and transparent ingredient profile, you’ll want to try a natural supplement, like our pre-workout.
Causes dehydration
If you’ve noticed, consuming alcohol will make you want to go to the bathroom more often because of its diuretic effects.
Since you tend to sweat a lot during your workout, this combination can be harmful since it could lead to dehydration, muscle fatigue, and cramping.
Although drinking water during training can help, the cycle of staying hydrated and going to the bathroom can get tedious fast when you’re trying to finish a workout routine.
The creatine in your pre-workout will also be less effective since it won’t be able to attract water into your cells to help build your muscles post-workout.
7 Alcohol-Free Alternatives to Try Before a Workout
If you really like to drink something before you work out, here are some better options so you can avoid alcohol. These are a few non-alcoholic alternatives that you should consider picking up to quench your thirst and help give you a boost in your training sessions:
1. Pre-workout supplement
If you want to boost your energy, endurance, and focus, you’ll want to try a natural supplement, like our pre-workout.
Unlike alcohol, most pre-workout formulas will contain the proper nutrients that nourish your body so you can achieve your fitness goals.
For example, our all natural pre-workout supplement doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, sweeteners, or dyes, giving you the power to conquer your training without the dreaded energy crash afterward.
Since your goal is to achieve optimum health, this formula only contains natural ingredients, so you won’t have to worry about adding any unnecessary toxins to your body.
2. Coffee
Whether you like it steaming hot or iced cold, coffee is another great non-alcoholic alternative.
Although most pre-workouts already contain caffeine, research shows that a cup of joe in doses of 3-6 mg/kg of body mass before your session greatly improves muscle strength, endurance, and velocity – especially if you like to incorporate a lot of aerobic exercises in your routine.
Make sure to drink coffee at least an hour before you start your training because that’s as long as it takes for the caffeine to finally kick in.
3. Green tea
If you’re not a fan of coffee but are in dire need of a pick-me-up, a cup of green tea may be the type of pre-workout you need.
It has a lower caffeine content than coffee, but it’s just as effective for making you alert for your workout. It’s also effective for weight loss since drinking it before your session can help increase your metabolism.
Research also shows that the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea speed up recovery and reduce muscle damage post-workout.
It’s also more suitable for when you have anxiety or insomnia since it doesn’t overstimulate your nerves the same way that coffee can.
4. Green juice
Green juice may appear as the newest diet fad but don’t judge it just yet since this nutritious drink is actually quite effective as an alcohol-free pre-workout alternative.
Although you can find a variety of green juice recipes, the best ones should contain a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Feel free to add any combination of fruits and veggies as you like, but it must contain a heaping serving of leafy greens, such as kale or spinach, to achieve that iconic green hue.
But don’t get intimidated by how it looks because it aids in weight loss, improves gut health, and increases metabolism, making it the perfect pre-workout
5. Coconut water
Naturally sweet and refreshing, coconut water is a better pre-workout alternative than alcohol.
It’s packed with a number of vitamins and minerals, like manganese, magnesium, sodium, and calcium, which can help prevent muscle cramping post-workout. Its high electrolyte levels also keep you hydrated, and its low glycemic index won’t spike up your blood sugar levels.
Natural coconut water tastes great on its own, but if you like, you can also mix it with your favorite pre-workout supplement for the ultimate pre-workout drink!
6. Watermelon juice
Watermelon juice isn’t only a cool summer refresher since it’s also a great non-alcoholic pre-workout.
This delectable fruit contains an amino acid, called L-citrulline, that aids in removing lactic acid from your muscles.
Lactic acid is the by-product of your muscles when they’re placed under stress, lowering their ability to produce energy quickly.
Since watermelon juice lowers the amount of lactic acid in your body, you’ll be less likely to feel muscle soreness the next day – even after a tough workout.
7. Banana smoothie
If you’re in a pinch, a healthy banana smoothie can be an effective pre-workout. It contains a healthy blend of simple carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber, which will help keep you stay full and energized during your workout.
It also contains potassium, which will help replenish the electrolytes in your body that you lost from sweat.
If you like, you can even add other ingredients to your smoothie, like blueberries, peanut butter, or almonds, for an added nutritional boost.
Get the Most Out of Your Workout Without Alcohol
Alcohol may help liven up the party, but it’s best to stay away from it when you’re thinking about squeezing in a last-minute workout.
Since mixing it with your pre-workout can create a set of health complications that can turn fatal if you’re not careful.
It also makes your supplement less effective for attaining your fitness goals since alcohol negates its effects.
So if you’ve had a drink or two, it’s best to wait until it’s completely out of your system or choose a better pre-workout next time.
Coffee and green tea are both favorable non-alcoholic alternatives, but if you want to get optimal results, we recommend using an all-natural pre-workout that can give you energy without the crash.
And you can try our blend for 20% OFF for a limited time by clicking here.
