Combined and isolated effects of alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation on maximal strength, muscle endurance and aerobic exercise performance in healthy men: a cross-over randomized controlled trial

To verify the combined and isolated effects of alcohol consumption and one night of sleep deprivation on maximal strength, muscle endurance and aerobic performance. Also, to verify the association between perceived fatigue and exercise performance. Ten male participants were randomized into four conditions: (1) placebo consumption + normal sleep (PLA + SLE); (2) alcohol consumption + normal sleep (ALC + SLE); (3) placebo consumption + sleep deprivation (PLA + SDP), and (4) alcohol consumption + sleep deprivation (ALC + SDP). In each condition, participants ingested 1 g of alcohol per kg of body mass of alcoholic beer or non-alcoholic beer (placebo, 0% of alcohol), followed by one night of normal sleep or sleep deprivation. In the next morning, hangover symptoms, maximal strength, and time to exhaustion during muscle endurance test for elbow flexors (TTEEF) were performed concurrently to biceps brachii activation. Finally, participants performed a time to exhaustion aerobic test (TTEAER) on a treadmill with heart rate (HR) and perceived exertion (RPE) assessments. Fatigue and total symptoms of hangover were higher in ALC + SDP compared to PLA + SLE (p = 0.008). No differences were observed between conditions on maximal strength, TTEEF, TTEAER, muscle activation, HR and RPE during tests (p > 0.05). Higher perceived fatigue was significantly associated only with shorter TTEAER (r = − 0.36; p = 0.02). Alcohol consumption, combined or not with total sleep deprivation did not impair maximal strength, muscle endurance and aerobic performance. Higher perceived fatigue seems to impair long-duration activities.