YOU BOOZE, YOU LOSE

NOTHING WRONG WITH A DOP AFTER A RIDE. BUT WHEN IS IT TOO MUCH?

- SELENE YEAGER

Raising a glass after a hard-earned ride is often how R cyclists celebrate their latest adventure. And while most things are fine in moderation, there's no clear formula to determine how quickly you metabolise booze before you get back on your wheels. This can lead to sketchy circumstances, even in the hangover phase.

"Your body works to break down and metabolise alcohol in the bloodstream. The more drinks you have, and the higher the percentage of alcohol, the longer it takes to rid your body of that toxin, which deposits in the organs and causes them to be temporarily dysfunctional," explains Dr William Cornwell, a cardiologist and the director of the sports cardiology programme at the University of Colorado Hospital in the US.

How will that affect your performance? Let's break down how alcohol impacts the body and therefore, your rides.

HANGOVER SYMPTOMS AND HOW THEY REDUCE SAFETY

Be wary of hangover 'cures' like downing greasy meal, consuming electrolytes, getting IV treatments at a wellness spa, or hopping into a cold shower. There's no science-backed method to speed up the body's recovery from a night (or day) of drinking. So if your body is still metabolising alcohol, or if you're in the hangover phase, a ride isn't the safest choice, says Cornwell.

"The risk of injury when exercising shortly after acute alcohol exposure grossly exceeds the potential benefits of ridding your body of alcohol on a ride," he says. This is especially true if your ride is in a remote location without access to help if you do fall from disorientation, vomit, or become severely dehydrated.

When your blood alcohol concentration returns to nearly zero, hangover symptoms reach their height and last close to 24 hours, according to the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Generally, after enjoying a single libation, blood alcohol level peaks nearly 45 minutes later, according to the book Drugs in Sport.