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Beer After Jiu-Jitsu Training: Good Idea?

Beer After Jiu-Jitsu Training: Good Idea?

Written by Gloria Coccoli and Jonas Scherer, BJJ practitioners and globetrotters. She started training Jiu-Jitsu at Ground Pressure Team Messina in Italy and he started training Judo and Jiu-Jitsu in Saverne, France. Check out their great blog aroundtheju about their journeys, their project and Judo/Jiu-Jitsu articles. 

 

Beer after training: A misleading good idea?

Who doesn’t have a drink after training hearing someone saying “Anyway, beer helps recovery! ”?

Unfortunately few studies about this topic prove the contrary. For who still wants to believe in this myth, we have some treats for you: there are also positives points, but honestly we wouldn’t recommend it!
After training, the body needs few elements: Water, proteins, sodium and rest.

The negative points are principally because of its alcohol component:

-Beer is diuretic, it means it will cause more urination and therefore less hydration. Not good after training in which you already lost plenty of liquids. Beer has 90% water, which increase the diuretic effect but alcohol decrease the antidiuretic hormones production that stops water elimination.
-Alcohol takes the priority in the digestion and it’s not well assimilated. Therefore, the nutrients and above all fats from normal food and normal lunch will be easily stored in your adipose tissue. It’s the famous “Beer belly”
-Alcohol blocks lactic acid elimination, which is the origin of muscle pain. To reduce lactic acid rate, you need a good hydration.

There are also positive points:

-Full of vitamins B6, B12, calcium, phosphor, potassium which is required inputs for the recovery.
-Hop makes bones stronger due to humulone (according to a study from INSERM). But an excessive alcohol intake makes bones weaker. It prevents osteoblast, cells responsible of the synthesis of non-mineral part of bones, to work as they should.
-Hop would have different properties: calming, antidepressant, stimulate waist work which helps to eliminate water excess, also the toxins and wastes. But just if you drink enough water.
contains beer yeast, which is full of vitamins (B1, B5, B6, B8, and B9) and proteins. Beer yeast is also used in nail and hair reinforcement, against intestines troubles, ENT diseases…
-It’s also a placebo effect, if we think it works, it should work.
-It’s convivial!

Beers mean intakes:

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Ideally, it would be better to drink a non-alcoholic beer, but nothing forbids you to enjoy a normal one after training if we drink enough water before: You mustn’t drink a beer for your re-hydration, but after hydration. You must choose a beer with hop and low alcohol content. If you are on a competition preparation phase, beer has to be avoided.