This week I have shared “The Why “ series with you. These educational topics were available for all athletes, coaches and staff to see! They were gone over with every student athlete. These affect what product you as an individual put on the field! So often these topics all intertwine. As coaches we can’t be afraid to coach and teach these topics.
Tomorrow will be the last “why” topic! STAY TUNED…
WHY Should Athletes NOT Use Alcohol?
• Alcohol consumption is illegal for student-athletes under the age of twenty-one.
• Could lead to use of other substances
• Serious Health Concerns
• It is a mood-altering substance and constitutes the greatest drug problem in society and among college students.
What Are The Facts About Alcohol ?
• Research shows that more than 80% of college students drink alcohol, and almost half report binge drinking.
• Estimated 1,825 college students between the ages of 18-24 die from alcohol related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.
• Each year 599,000 students are unintentionally injured.
• Each year 696,000 students are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
• Each year 97,000 students are victims of alcohol-related assault or date rape.
• Each year 400,000 students have unprotected sex and more than 100,000 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex.
• 19% of students met the criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence.
• Each year and estimated 3,360,000 drive under the influence of alcohol.
• Impairs short term memory.
WHY Does Alcohol Affect Athletic Performance?
Dehydration
• Alcohol is a powerful diuretic that can cause severe dehydration and staggering electrolyte imbalances.
• Alcohol can cause the body to lose 3% more fluid in a 4 hour period, leading to dehydration quicker than normal which can cause a decrease in performance up to 10-20%.
• Alcohol can disrupt the water balance in your body which hinders the body’s ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides the fuel necessary for muscle contraction.
• Athletes are at a greater risk of cramps, muscle pulls and muscle strains.
What are the Negative Effects of Alcohol?
• Heavy drinking can cause long-term or even permanent damage to the Brain. Cause wasting away of brain tissue and development of scar tissue on the brain.
• Impairs the functioning of the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain that is vital to the foundation of memories. If you can’t form new memories, you can’t learn and store information.
• Damage to the Liver: most important function is to break down food and convert into energy and also helps the body to get rid of waste products and plays a vital role in fighting infections. 10% of people that die in their 40s are from liver disease, most caused by alcohol liver disease.
• Damage to the Kidneys: alter the ability to filter blood.
• The lining the Digestive System can be damaged inflammation and bleeding can occur.
• Two consecutive nights of drinking five or more alcoholic beverages can affect brain and body activities for up to five days.
• Consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one night can affect brain and body activities for up to three days.
• Can lead to Alcohol Abuse: pattern of drinking that result in harm to one’s health, relationships, or ability to work.
• Can lead to Alcohol Dependency, also known as alcohol addiction and alcoholism, is a chronic disease.
WHY Does Alcohol Affect Athletic Performance?
Physical Capacity
• Alcohol is proven to decrease aerobic performance capacity by as much as 11%.
• Alcohol is known to slow down one’s reaction time up to 72 hours following alcohol intake
• Precision, equilibrium, hand-eye coordination, judgment, ability to process information, focus, stamina, strength, power, and speed are all negatively affected for many hours after blood alcohol levels return to 0%.
• When alcohol is oxidized it produces an elevation of NADH, which reduces the amount of a coenzyme that is essential in the production of ATP. This loss of ATP results in a lack of energy and loss of endurance.
WHY Does Alcohol Affect Athletic Performance?
Nutrition
• Alcohol inhibits the absorption and usage of vital nutrients such as:
◦ Thiamin (vitamin B1) involve in the metabolism of proteins and fat and the formation of hemoglobin. It is essential to optimal performance for its role in metabolizing carbohydrates.
◦ Vitamin B12 is essential to good health. It helps maintain healthy red blood and nerve cells.
◦ Lack of Folic Acid, due to alcohol can cause “Megaloblastic anemia” which causes a lowering of oxygen carrying capacity (VO2 Max decreases) which affects endurance.
◦ Zinc is depleted because of alcohol which also affects endurance.
• Can stimulate the appetite and encourage extra intake of calories the body doesn’t need.
• Alcohol is stored as fat in body. Destroys amino acids and stores them as fat. Increases fat storage resulting in decreased energy, decreased muscle recovery and increased muscle soreness.
WHY Does Alcohol Affect Athletic Performance?
Recovery
• Alcohol can cause increased swelling after a game if an injury is sustained due to the fact that alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate.
• Decrease in muscle growth by diminishing protein synthesis.
• Alcohol negatively affects your SLEEP patterns, which will influence recovery.
• Your body is robbed of HGH when you drink which is vital to building and repairing muscles.
• Alcohol can decrease the secretion of HGH by as much as 70%.
• Can reduce serum testosterone levels which causes a decrease in lean muscle mass and muscle recovery.
• If an athlete is taking anti-inflammatory medications or pain relievers (including Tylenol and ibuprofen) drinking alcohol can increase the risks of stomach irritation and internal bleeding.
• Hangovers are cause by alcohol toxicity, dehydration and the toxic effects.
• Takes 3-4 days to fully recover from one night of drinking.
• Alcohol has a negative affect on training responses.