wphamilton

I think that having 1 or 2 beers an hour before exercise costs me 8-10 bpm more for a given level of effort. That's just from casual observation on the treadmill.

Anyone tested this more exhaustively? Say, from one beer to a six pack, vs only water, and maybe other variants? I wonder if there is a general formula, which I'm sure depends on the normal HR and a persons weigh. 160 pounds and I generally jog at around 165 bpm. Anyone else with some data?

rubiksoval

That doesn't make any sense to me. What specifically about beer would depress your heart rate to such a degree?

jonc123

I think he is saying that his heart rate increases after some brews.

wphamilton

Correct, and casual observation is also that a less moderate number of brews leads to a big HR increase.

If one does exercise after moderate imbibing, it would be helpful to adjust your hr zones accordingly I think.

DrIsotope

Comes down to the simple BAC. Any level of BAC above 0.00 means the blood is thinner, and the good old blood pump runs a little faster. Some studies also seem to indicate that BAC inhibits the body's ability to utilize glucose, so you're running at lower efficiency. Either could easily tack on a few BPM.

wphamilton

If I recall right, fluid velocity is proportional to density therefore if it's that simple then whatever % increase at resting HR would pertain to other zones. Plus the lower efficiency, which would be proportional to power output, more or less. It sounds simple - I wonder if there are any studies to verify it? I can experiment, but lacking a way to measure O2 it won't be as decisive as a real study.

But why does thinner blood make the pump faster? It seems like it would push it out faster, but the faster HR is not intuitive from just a physical standpoint. Is there some chemical mechanism that discerns a lower hemoglobin and consequently stimulates the heart more?

DrIsotope

Yeah, but experimenting sounds like a lot more fun. Ride a lap, drink a beer, ride another lap. Repeat until you cannot. Analyze data after regaining consciousness.

wphamilton

It seem that experiment would lack a control, or lack control, or something.

DrIsotope

Probably best to have a riding companion who rides sober both as a control, and to make sure you get back to where you started. You know, for science.

Carbonfiberboy 

When we toured the Czech Republic on our tandem, I'd have .5 L beer with lunch and get right back on the bike. Never noticed anything other than that I felt a bit weak for the first 1/2 hour, but no difference in HR vs. effort. After that, essentially no effect.

wphamilton

I've never tried it before a ride, just the treadmill. I know that my HR is higher running to begin with so perhaps if there is an effect, running amplifies it vs cycling.

You run as well don't you? How about an experiment for science?

Carbonfiberboy 

HR is normally quite a bit higher running than cycling for the same RPE. I don't usually run. Maybe a few times/year before our backpack or just a little trail running for fun. I stay in good enough shape that I can run if I want to. When I was young I ran almost every day. I started running miles at 12. I could see already that if I was going to be able to do anything I wanted to, I'd have to be in pretty good shape. I'm still that way.

Not a chance. I normally have 1-2 beers/week, after my group ride. Any alcohol at all puts weight on me. I can't even have wine with dinner.

wphamilton

Yeh, that's how I got to 160. Hence the desire to run, burning it off. It's like a vicious circle.

tmac100

When I tour in outback Australia, if I am passing a roadhouse (they are the only places on the map in some parts of the outback) I stop for a meal and a couple of beers. Same thing when going thru a rural town - if the pub there is serving, I have a counter lunch and a couple of beers.

When I start bicycling again after eating, I feel a bit tired. No idea if it is the food digesting (stomach using extra blood) or the effects of the beer - or both. After an hour or two, I have gone maybe 25 or 30 km and I am fine and that much closer to my "wild campsite".

Seattle Forrest

I run occasionally. But I don't like carbonated drinks. Maybe one day I'll try an experiment with a glass of wine, for science.

You've probably already seen this pic, it blew up over the summer. Deep in NCNP. I have a hunch a little bit of running is a good way to prepare for cross country skiing.

work4bike

I've never tried to see how alcohol effects my HR, because I simply hate doing exercise after having alcohol, but from the few times I've had hike in the mountains after having a few, I'd say that my HR was higher than it would otherwise be, but since I don't wear a HR monitor while hiking, it's just a guess based on how I felt.

However, this thread reminded of a news article I read a few months ago, so I thought I'd share... There's also an interesting video on the link>>> Exercise can cancel out the booze, says study - CNN.com

Carbonfiberboy 

No, hadn't seen it. Nancy and I were on one of our 10-day backpacks and were just north of Granite Pass when we were passed by ~6 runners with small backpacks. I guess running Rainy Pass to Hart's Pass, but who knows? Only 70 miles to Manning Park . . .

Yes, the college Nordic team always ran together in fall and then kept running after snowfall, up to maybe 2' deep. We taped our sweat pants to our socks. Kick in the butt.

wphamilton

That's the spirit. It goes further "The results also showed that occasional drinking -- drinking alcohol sometimes but not every week -- was associated with a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease among physically active people."

Joking aside, I'm not a big drinker. I wouldn't have thought of it had it not been for a professional conference I attended but then didn't want to forgo a late night treadmill run in the hotel gym. It was pretty awful with the HR spiking to abnormal levels so I had to cut it short. There were also large quantities of food involved, finer fare than I'm used to which no doubt played a part.

But it did make me wonder about more moderate levels of drinking, and if there actually could be a fairly simple formula to predict changes in HR from amounts of alcohol, weight, power etc. If so, and one could confidently adjust his HR targets, you could run on some Saturday afternoon after a beer or two and still get something out of it.