Monday, July 25, 2016

The Top 5 Problems with Alcohol Consumption and the Athlete

Alcohol has been shown to make up to 5% of an athlete’s calorie intake, and consumption in any volume can interfere with performance, recovery, muscle building, vitamin function, and hydration. As an athlete, your goal is to improve performance. Here are some important factors that are affected when alcohol is involved:
·         Hydration
o    Alcohol can dehydrate your body; altering your body’s ability to regulate its temperature. A small change in body temperature will affect your reaction time, motor skills, balance, and even your memory during performance.
·         Recovery
o    Alcohol can cause muscle cramps, pain, and hypoglycemia. Having sufficient glucose allows your muscles to heal and stimulate growth after a workout. Recuperation time is vital in making sure your body is able to rejuvenate itself post-workout.
·         Growth hormone (GH)
o    Plays a huge role in recovery. This is an important hormone that stimulates cell and bone growth and development. GH is secreted within the first few hours during sleep, but if you’re not sleeping well or getting enough sleep, this process is disrupted. Alcohol often disrupts sleep cycles, thus affecting growth hormone and therefore, cell development and overall performance.
·         Calcium (Ca) and vitamin A
o    Alcohol inhibits absorption of these vitamins. Ca is stored in your bones, teeth, and in your bloodstream. A lack in either vitamin D or Ca can lead to Osteoporosis, Liver disease, and increased risk of fractures. Your bones need to be strong and healthy in order to perform. If you have brittle bones, you’re at risk of fractures and possibly ending your career as an athlete.
·         Calorically
o    There are 7 kilocalories (kcals) per gram in alcohol. Anywhere from 7-14 drinks per week can tack on an easy 600-1800 extra calories which can lead to a long-term weight gain. Here’s a table to show the calorie intake of different drinks.


Drink
Calories
12oz beer
135-145
12oz Light Beer
100
3.5oz Red or White Wine
70-75
6oz Martini
143
0.5 oz Hard Liquor
98
10oz Margarita
550
Pina Colada
490-520
Long Island Iced Tea
530
Rum and Coke
160
Vodka and Cranberry Juice
170-175


               When it comes down to it, alcohol doesn’t have any nutritional benefit when it comes to performance. If you want to feel your best and perform your best, staying away from alcohol is encouraged. Being an athlete means you need to treat your body like the temple that it is. So next time you’re out with friends or encouraged to have a drink before a game, think twice.





Sources

"Alcohol Alert." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 26.352 (1994): n. pag. Web.
Emanuele, Mary Ann, and Nicholas Emanuele. "Alcohol and the Male Reproductive System." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
Vella, Luke D., and David Cameron-Smith. "Alcohol, Athletic Performance and Recovery." Nutrients 2.8 (2010): 781-89. Web.
Weaver, Cameron C., Matthew P. Martens, Jennifer M. Cadigan, Stephanie K. Takamatsu, Hayley R. Treloar, and Eric R. Pedersen. "Sport-related Achievement Motivation and Alcohol Outcomes: An Athlete-specific Risk Factor among Intercollegiate Athletes." Addictive Behaviors 38.12 (2013): 2930-936. Web.



Bio: Kristen Peterson is a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist currently working in nutrition counseling and studying to become a Certified Personal Trainer. She aspires to work with weight loss and help clients reach their goals. She also maintains a personal blog filled with nutrition information and healthy, tasty recipes for anyone who’d like to try new foods: www.kpcreations.com