Shannan’s Journey

Alcohol

We are all familiar with the common effects of alcohol on our bodies. And anyone who has attempted to work out after a night of imbibing can tell you that training and recovery are certainly impaired! From sore joints to extra sweaty bodies, the immediate physical effects are apparent. But few of us know the impact it can have on our overall health and fitness goals! Alcohol has a number of negative side effects which extend far beyond the initial night of indulgence.

In general, alcohol consumption affects rational thought, emotions and mood, judgment, speech and muscle coordination. In extreme cases, of course it can cause coma and death. Alcohol is specifically detrimental to athletes: it can inhibit recovery, protein synthesis, hydration, motivation, and nutrient intake. It interferes with many of the processes so vital to success: focus, performance, recovery and rebuilding. Although alcohol is absorbed rapidly, it is metabolized very slowly and its effects may still impact athletic performance up to 48 hours after the last drink.

As little as two to three standard drinks can directly:

• Decrease strength, limiting training intensity and muscle development and growth
• Impair reaction time
• Impair balance and eye/hand coordination
• Impair fine motor and gross motor coordination
• Increase fatigue: Liver function is significantly impacted following the ingestion of alcohol. Up to 48 hours after the last drink the liver may still be metabolizing alcohol at the expense of glycogen (metabolized carbohydrate). Given that glycogen is vital for most of the body’s cellular functions, body fatigue, cognitive decline and loss of strength will result when it cannot be used efficiently.
• Interfere with body temperature regulation
• Cause dehydration: Alcohol has an impact on kidney function, which interferes with the regulation of electrolytes and fluids in the body. Cellular waste removal and nutrient supply are the main functions of fluid and electrolytes, which are controlled through kidney function.
• Deplete aerobic capacity and negatively impact endurance for up to 48 hours after the last drink
• Impact cellular repair: Protein metabolism is negatively impacted when alcohol is in the system. It blocks the actions of nutrients involved in muscle contraction. It also dehydrates cells and cell volumization is needed to increase protein synthesis. In turn, alcohol lowers testosterone and increases estrogen.
• Impact fax oxidation: Fat burning stops altogether. The Kreb cycle which normally involves burning fat will instead be burning the alcohol off to detoxify your body (since alcohol is seen as a poison!). So not only will you not be burning fat, but you’ll be drinking extra calories (7 calories per gram - almost as dense as fat), which leads you to put on more fat.
• Impact the cardiovascular system: Alcohol consumption raises blood pressure and this can result in the heart having to work harder to pump blood through the body. An abnormally fast heart beat (tachycardia) can also result from alcohol consumption. Furthermore, alcohol increases the synthesis of cholesterol and this can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Disrupt sleep: Alcohol significantly interferes with restful sleep. It can make falling to sleep easier to begin with due to its sedative effects but the quality of sleep (particularly rapid eye movement) will be disturbed.
• Cause vitamin and mineral depletion: Vitamins and minerals so necessary for health have their absorption interfered with, while the body’s own supply are slowly depleted, when alcohol is consumed. Even one or two drinks per day (supposedly the “recommended” amount) can have this effect. B vitamins, which have important enzymatic and metabolic functions are depleted extra rapidly. This affects the heart, liver, thyroid and kidneys. Vitamin A is also depleted and this interferes with the body’s ability to fight disease. Vitamin C depletion makes one susceptible to anemia. Also, when alcohol is ingested the body excretes calcium at twice the normal rate, thus impacting on bone growth and wound healing.
• Impair digestion of nutrients from food: once ingested, food must be digested and broken down so that it is available for energy and maintenance of body structure and function. Digestion begins in the mouth and continues in the stomach and intestines, with help from the pancreas. Alcohol inhibits the breakdown of nutrients into usable molecules by decreasing the secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. It impairs nutrient absorption by damaging the cells lining the stomach and intestines and disabling the transport of some nutrients into the blood. Such nutritional deficiencies themselves may lead to further absorption problems. For example, folate deficiency alters the cells lining the small intestine, which in turn impairs absorption of water and nutrients including glucose, sodium and additional folate. Even if nutrients are absorbed, alcohol can prevent them from being fully utilized by altering their transport, storage and excretion.
• Cause cognitive impairment: cognitive impairment (disruption of thought processes and brain damage) occur through a number of mechanisms. Alcohol related sleep disruption contributes to the insufficient restoration of ones neural processes. Lack of glycogen to the brain, as a result of alcohol metabolism, causes slow, disoriented, thinking. The implications of cognitive impairment are severe for athletes: loss of motivation, focus and desire in addition to lessened perspicacity and even neuromuscular response.

As you can see, a simple drink with dinner, when you are training for an athletic or physique contest, has far reaching consequences. Your performance in the gym and your subsequent recovery and nourishment from food are severely impacted. Don’t negate all of the discipline and hard work you devote to improving your health and reaching your goal. There is a reason nutritionists/trainers say "no alcohol" on nutritional programs! Don’t cheat yourself by indulging in alcohol when it does not fit into your program. Keep a clear head, and a properly functioning body, by abstaining from alcohol when training to improve your physical fitness!

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 11:22 am and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.