That's the title of this piece today in the NY Times. And the conclusion of every researcher who's studied it? Undoubtedly, yes. The only question is why.
'Maybe, the authors speculate, some of the drinkers are drawn to a “sensation-taking lifestyle” that includes adventurous, extreme styles of exercise. Alternatively, imbibers could be “socializing and drinking after participating in organized group sports.'
Well, sure. We could have told them that. But here's another theory:
'Drinking and exercising both preferentially alter activity in “the mesocorticolimbic neural circuitry,” she said, a portion of the brain associated with reward.'
OK, we even might have guessed that too. Finally, though, a truly interesting hypothesis:
'Finally, it may be that exercising allows you to become a little less stupid as a result of binge drinking . . . .To some degree, exercising [offers] “neuroprotection.”
That's right. All that good work we're doing in trying to stupidify ourselves with beer? It might well be compromised by the running we do before it. We may have to rethink our approach.
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