THE FITNESS SF BLOG

Many people judge how alcohol affects them by one simple metric: “Do I get a hangover?” 

If the answer is no, it’s easy to assume alcohol doesn’t really impact your health or training. But emerging research suggests something important—and uncomfortable—about that assumption. A 2023 study published in Addictive Behaviors found that a single evening of alcohol consumption reduced next-day immune fitness in everyone—including people who reported no hangover symptoms at all.

Most of us reach for coffee because we’re tired. But that fatigue often stems from the very thing caffeine disrupts the most: sleep. As both a physician and lifelong trainer, I’ve watched clients chase energy with caffeine… and then lose the recovery they desperately need.