Transcript Alcohol, Drugs, and Athletic Performance

PE 712
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Alcohol and drug use:
◦ Cancels out gains from your workout
 Diminishes protein synthesis
 Decreases muscle growth
◦ Cause dehydration and slows down the body’s
ability to heal
 Alcohol and drugs are toxins that affect brain, organs,
and tissues
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Alcohol and drug use:
◦ Prevents muscle recovery
 Interrupts sleep and HGH. Substances can decrease
HGH as much as 70%
 Produces substances in the liver that is toxic to
testosterone
◦ Depletes your source of energy
 Disrupts water balance and ability to produce ATP
(energy)
 Inhibits gluconeogenesis (glucose is formed from
substances other than glucose. Needed for ATP
production.)
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Alcohol and drug use:
◦ Inhibits the ability to learn new information
 Compromises the hippocampus (memories)
◦ Hampers memory and retention
 Much of memory formation occurs while sleeping
 Sleep cycle is disrupted, reducing the ability to learn
and retain info
 Even drinking up to 6 hours before you go to sleep will
negatively affect your sleep cycle
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Consuming 5 or more alcoholic
beverages in one night can
affect brain and body activities
for up to three days.
Two consecutive nights of
drinking five or more alcoholic
beverages can affect brain and
body activities for up to five
days.
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Alcohol and drug use:
◦ Constricts metabolism and endurance
 Affects aerobic cycle
◦ Requires increased conditioning to maintain weight
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High calories, no nutritional value
100-150 empty calories (each drink)
Converts alcohol sugars into fatty acids
Slowed metabolism and increased fat retention
◦ Inhibits absorption of nutrients
 Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Zinc
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Nutrients affected:
◦ Thiamin (Vitamin B1): is involved in the metabolism of
proteins and fat and the formation of hemoglobin. Plays
a role in metabolizing carbohydrates.
◦ Vitamin B12: is essential to good health. It helps
maintain healthy red blood and nerve cells.
◦ Folic Acid: is an integral part of a coenzyme involved in
the formation of new cells; a lack of it can cause a blood
disorder called “megaloblastic anemia.”
◦ Zinc: is also essential to your energy metabolic
processes. Since alcohol depletes your zinc resources,
the effect is an even greater reduction of your
endurance.
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The office of Alcohol and Drug Education,
University Counseling Center, University of
Notre Dame, Gina Firth, M.A. and Luis Manzo,
Ph.D.
Resources:
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School Counselors
Self-Help Meetings (AA, NA, Al-Anon)
Self-Help Books
Self-Help Websites