title: Exercise capacity is not impaired after acute alcohol ingestion: a pilot study.
abstract: The usage of alcohol is widespread, but the effects of acute alcohol ingestion on exercise performance and the stress hormone axis are not fully elucidated.We studied 10 healthy white men, nonhabitual drinkers, by Doppler echocardiography at rest, spirometry, and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in two visits (2-4 days in between), one after administration of 1.5 g/kg ethanol (whisky) diluted at 15% in water, and the other after administration of an equivalent volume of water. Plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were also measured 10 min before the test, at maximal effort and at the third minute of recovery. Ethanol concentration was measured from resting blood samples by gas chromatography and it increased from 0.00 ± 0.00 to 1.25 ± 0.54‰ (P < 0.001). Basal echocardiographic and spirometric parameters were normal and remained so after acute alcohol intake, whereas ACTH, cortisol, and NT-pro-BNP nonsignificantly increased in all phases of the test. CPET data suggested a trend toward a slight reduction of exercise performance (peak VO2 = 3008 ± 638 vs. 2900 ± 543 ml/min, ns; peak workload = 269 ± 53 vs. 249 ± 40 W, ns; test duration 13.7 ± 2.2 vs. 13.3 ± 1.7 min, ns; VE/VCO2 22.1 ± 1.4 vs. 23.3 ± 2.9, ns). Ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide at rest was higher after alcohol intake (28 ± 2.5 vs. 30.4 ± 3.2, P = 0.039) and maximal respiratory exchange ratio was lower after alcohol intake (1.17 ± 0.02 vs. 1.14 ± 0.04, P = 0.04). In conclusion, we showed that acute alcohol intake in healthy white men is associated with a nonsignificant exercise performance reduction and stress hormone stimulation, with an unchanged exercise metabolism.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Visegradska 26 bDivision of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 13 cFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450 dFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Belgrade, Blagoja Parovica 156, Belgrade, Serbia eCentro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS fDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Community Health - Cardiovascular Section, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Dejana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Popovic
authors.forename: Svetozar S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Damjanovic
authors.forename: Bosiljka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Plecas-Solarovic
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pešić
authors.forename: Stanimir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stojiljkovic
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banovic
authors.forename: Arsen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ristic
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mantegazza
authors.forename: Piergiuseppe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agostoni
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone