Runners love a good finish-line beer – but did you know that post-run beer can actually have some tangible benefits to your overall health?

While mixing alcohol with exercise – such as when performing a beer run – can be questionable, what about drinking beer after running?

If you’ve ever been tempted by the thought of drinking beer after a run to quench your thirst, you’ve probably wondered if it’s the right thing to do.

Aren’t you just sacrificing some of those gains you’ve made by drinking a bunch of calories?

Not quite.

Let’s jump into what happens to your body after a post-run beer, and look at some of the positive effects of combining beer and running!

Beer and Running and Health – What You Should Know

It’s All About Moderation

Before we jump in and start rolling the kegs out, it’s important to note that alcohol is best enjoyed in moderation.

In fact, there is a host of widely-accepted health and nutritional benefits related to moderate alcohol consumption, reported in studies on healthy lifestyles.

It has been shown to improve longevity by lowering the risks of diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Most scientific studies define moderate alcohol consumption as one drink per day for women, and two drinks per day for men.

Drinking more than this can cause a decrease in the body’s energy supplies and recovery functions, it’s been shown.

Good For Your Heart

Moderate drinking can lead to lower rates of cardiovascular disease.

Traditionally, this advice has been associated with wine – but this study shows that any type of alcohol can have this effect.

Make Beer Your Tipple of Choice

Beer has often been overlooked by health nuts due to its perception of being a boozy drink that leaves you with a beer belly.

It used to be that wine was the alcoholic drink with a health halo due to its varied lipid profile – but many of the same benefits are available from your favorite pale ale, and with less sugar content.

Likewise, some drinkers favor strong spirits due to their purer alcohol content – and feel it can help dodge hangovers. The only problem is that it’s not so easy to practice moderation when you’re drinking spirits.

Hard seltzers are gaining in popularity, but be aware that they’re often loaded with sugar.

So, why beer?

Beer includes:

• around 90% water, good for rehydration

• Some carbs, good for re-fuelling and recovery

• A small amount of protein, good for recovery

Additionally, included in that malted barley and hops is a bunch of often-overlooked B vitamins – like folate, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.

Beer also has higher silicon content – which could lead to greater bone strength.

Beer Can Help a Runner’s Immune System

In 2009, Dr. Johannes Scherr led the ‘Be-MAGIC’ study (beer, marathons, genetics, inflammation and the cardiovascular system) which looked at the role of polyphenol in beer, and how it affects the immune system of marathon runners.

The study split some Munich Marathon runners into two groups; the first group was given a non-alcohol wheat beer every day, and the second group a similar drink but without the polyphenol profile found in beer.

It was found that the polyphenol profile helped reduce inflammation response – which can overwhelm the body’s immune system.

As a result, the beer-drinking group recovered faster and suffered less colds, viruses and bugs in the weeks following the marathon.

Beer After Running – Here’s How To Do It Properly

Drink Water and Beer

Beer is a diuretic, meaning it has dehydrating properties.

This is one of the primary reasons for only drinking beer after running – we all know the importance of maintaining good hydration levels as you exercise.

So a good rule of thumb is to match your beer serving with a serving of water to counteract the diuretic effects.

And kick things off with 200ml of water before cracking open your first tinnie.

Stick To Lighter Beers

In general, the higher the ABV, the more calories.

To get a rough estimate of the calories in your beer, multiply the ABV by the serving size (in ounces) by 2.5.

So when you’re looking for your post-run beer, stick to something relatively light and sessionable.

I keep it below 5% ABV when I can.

Heck, non-alcoholic beers do the same thing – these can be a welcome treat if you’re doing a Sober October Challenge or Dry January!

Don’t Forget To Eat Too

After any run, you should look to munch on something for recovery – your body is primed to receive carbs and protein.

And although you find both of these in beer, unfortunately, the quantities are fairly low – so supplement your beer with some food.

While that beer after running pairs excellently with burgers or pizza, it’s recommended to seek out minimally-processed, whole food snacks and meals for your recovery.

Beer After Running: The Bottom Line

Beer, unfortunately, is not a performance enhancer.

Drinking too much too often will likely have negative effects on your running performance.

But drinking a beer or two after a hard run is an awesome way to reward yourself, and has a few health benefits – so don’t feel too guilty!

Running nutrition is a cornerstone of any runner’s performance and lifestyle – nutrition for runners is a huge topic, which deserves an epic post . . . so here it is!

What you eat determines how you run.

You need to eat right to:

• fuel your running

• recover right, in order to perform better tomorrow

• balance your energy and mood, so you’re in the zone to run.

Runners actually need a ton of nutrition support.

Running can be tough on the body, and good runners know how to prioritize recovery. One way to do just that is to put a strong priority on your nutrition.

A balanced diet or nutritional plan will not only improve your running performance, but it can also trickle into other aspects and improve many parts of your life.

Running to get better at running is important, but if you are looking to do this even more efficiently, then nutrition is your answer.

So whether you’re just beginning your running journey, or you’re training for your next marathon, let me walk you through our running nutrition guide – and why nutrition for runners is so important!

Why Nutrition Is So Important for Runners

No matter what kind of running you are doing, it is important to put some focus on your nutrition.

As I noted above, your nutrition plays three main roles in your life as a runner – for fuel, for recovery, and for a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Let’s look at these one at a time:

Nutrition for Fuel

As we run, we burn energy.

This is in the form of calories, but also in the form of protein, carbs, and fats.

Like a car, we are constantly burning through these resources.

Also, just like a car, we have to put fuel back in.

When we neglect to fuel the machine, bad things can happen.

We will begin to feel fatigued, sluggish, and generally want to stop . . . the car begins to shut down. If you’ve ever heard of bonking or hitting the wall, this is what we’re talking about.

This ‘running on empty’ feeling usually happens when we burn through all our readily available fuel sources – normally carbs – and the body has to revert to burning more fat for fuel (more on this later).

So how can we ensure we’re properly fuelled for our runs?

We have to do two things:

• Eat carbs before exercise

• If the exercise is over 45-60 long, consider fuelling during the exercise to keep your energy levels topped up.

So, no matter the level of runner you are, you still need fuel to function. This is the baseline nutrition requirement for running.

Nutrition for Recovery

The simple principle behind any kind of strength training is that you put a muscle under load until it’s stressed, then you allow it to heal and recover so it’s stronger and performs better in the future.

The same principle applies to running.

Running puts load on our muscular system. After a taxing run, your leg muscles will be tired and will have a few micro-tears in the muscle mass.

Nutrition plays a key part in the recovery process of these muscles. In the period after a run, your body is fatigued – and also primed for entering recovery mode. A snack or meal which is high in protein and carbs can go a long way in helping your body heal quickly.

Nutrition for Wellbeing and a Balanced Lifestyle

Running and a balanced diet go hand-in-hand.

It’s much harder to sustain a regular running habit if you’re eating a poor diet – your energy levels and mood are often dictated by what you eat, and the poorer the diet the less likely you are to have the energy, enthusiasm, and willpower to go running regularly.

Likewise, have you ever tried running while sick?

It isn’t fun. When we neglect running nutrition, and just kind of go about doing whatever, we miss out on a lot.

We miss tons of micronutrients that can help to build the immune system and keep you healthy. So, if you would like to feel good and be healthy while running, then nutrition is super important.

How Your Body Uses Fuel When Running

As we run, the body acts as furnace burning fuel for energy.

When you consume food, it gets broken down into constituent parts which are then distributed throughout the body. Carbohydrates and fats which are not immediately recruited are stored for later use.

These are the reserves we dip into each time we engage in prolonged activity – and a key element of our running nutrition.

Carbohydrates as a Primary Fuel Source

Carbs are typically our primary fuel source.

The body finds it easy to quickly access and convert our stored carbohydrates into energy to drive us forward as we run.

When following a regular diet, the more intense your rate of exertion, the higher % of your fuel is coming from carbs.

Loading up on carbs is a long-established technique used by runners of all abilities.

It’s why carbo-loading before big races is so popular (ever been to a pasta party the night before a big event?), and why runners tend to carry high-carb energy gels with them as they run.

Carbs are easy and fast to process, and an effective form of fuel.

Fat As a Fuel Source

Our secondary fuel source is the body’s stored fat.

During exercise, we’re almost always burning some amount of fat – the quantity depends on the intensity of the exercise.

We tend to burn the most fat in lower-intensity, longer exercises.

The more intense the exercise, the more the body seeks out quick and easy fuel in the form of carbs.

A molecule of fat contains 9 calories per gram. This is the highest among all other macronutrients (protein, carb, fat).

However, for most of us, the fat-conversion process is not a very efficient process. The body prefers to keep fat stores in reserve for emergencies and isn’t used to fuelling exercise exclusively using fat reserves (which is called ketosis).

When you burn through all your available carbs, the body realizes that it has to burn fat to fuel your workout. However, the body isn’t normally used to this, so it’s an inefficient process – and we suddenly bonk or hit the wall as our energy supply is throttled back.

Runners’ bodies gradually become more effective at burning fat for fuel, which is often why runners carry little body fat.

How Your Body Recovers After Running

Running can take a toll on you. The pounding against the pavement and the increased heart rate for extended periods of time can cause a need for recovery.

The body is actually really well equipped to do this.

However, various things can cause recovery to either slow or speed up.

Running nutrition is one of the things that can determine the rate at which you recover. As you break down the muscles you use protein to repair and recover.

If you aren’t consuming enough protein to do this, it can cause recovery to be slower than normal.

The general rule of thumb for protein is about 0.8g of protein per pound of body weight.

As a runner, the more useful range would to be consuming around 1g of protein daily per pound of body weight.

Remember to consume a good portion of your protein intake within 45-60 minutes ou completing your run.

You also have to replace the glycogen, or carbs, that you used while running.

As you deplete the stores that you had, you have to consume more so that you can run again.

This will ensure that you are well recovered and fueled up for the next run.

Water is extremely important for recovery as well.

As we run, we excrete water in the form of sweat. Without the right amount of water in our system we can become dehydrated.

Dehydration can heighten fatigue and slow down the recovery process.

Drink a tall glass of water after a run, and continue to hydrate for the rest of the day as you feel is necessary.

Feel free to throw in a rehydration salt tablet to speed up the recovery process and replace some of those salts lost through sweat!

Running Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Runner’s Diet

As a runner, you want to eat a healthy diet for fuelling your performance, optimizing your recovery, and maintaining a happy, balanced lifestyle.

Here’s my top nutrition for runners tips:

1. Stick To Whole Foods (As Much As Practical)

Whole foods are foods with minimal processing or refinement before they reach you.

Generally speaking, a runner needs to make sure that they are getting in ample amounts of protein, the right kinds of complex carbs (think sweet potato), and healthy fats such as olive oil.

Consuming whole foods is an easy way to ensure you’re eating the appropriate number of calories needed to maintain a healthy body weight.

Whole foods are generally easier for the body to break down and convert into fuel (compared to highly processed foods, which can be harder to break down and have low nutritional value).

2. Focus on Carbs and Protein

Once you have good habits and a foundation of nutrition built, you can begin to get a little more specific. This will include your macronutrients (protein, carb, fat). Using different combinations, you can fuel your running.

Typically, you are going to want a high protein, high carb diet for running. This will provide the body with plenty of fuel for those long runs. If you are running ultra-long distances, you are going to need even more food for fuel.

If you just casually run for fun or exercise, just make sure that you are consuming enough food to support this activity. Typically, the intensity and length of your running should match up with your intake.

3. Recommended Macronutrient Intake For Runners

For those runners who want to get specific with numbers and quantities, here are some guidelines into the recommended quantities of each macronutrient:

For carbohydrates, aim to eat between 3.5 – 4.5g per pound of body weight each day on intense intense days. For a 120lb runner this equates to 420-540g of carbs per day.

On lighter training days and rest days the goal for carb consumption should be between 3.0 – 3.2g per pound of body weight.

Protein is the next most important macronutrient to help replenish muscle break down.

On training days aim for 0.7 – 1.0g of protein per pound of bodyweight while non-training days should be between 0.5 – 0.7g per pound of body weight.

Fat is the final macro and is needed to help with vitamin storage and hormone production but should be kept around 0.5g per pound of body weight on training and non-training days.

4. Eat a High Carb Snack Before You Go For a Run

Look to consume a snack which has plenty of carbohydrates in the 45-60 minute window before you set off running.

A banana contains 23g of carbs and is a perfect pre-run snack!

5. Eat a Snack or Meal After Your Run

Within an hour of finishing your training session replenish your carb stores by eating a full meal using the macronutrient quantities dicussed above; roughly aim for 1 gram or protein for every 3-4 grams of carbs.