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
