Essentials of Nutrition for Sports

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Hematopoetic system. Interferes with the formation of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

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Muscle dysfunction. Myopathy including pain and swelling.

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Pregnancy effects. Including conge

nital birth defects and fetal

alcohol syndrome.

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Skeletal system alterations: Alcohol alters calcium metabolism and increases the risk of fractures and osteonecrosis (bone death).

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Sexual effects: Men: Alcohol decreases erectile capacity and causes testicular atrophy. Women: Alcohol may cause a loss of periods, ovarian atrophy, infer

tility, and spontaneous abortion.

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Central nervous system/psychiatric impact:

Acute behavioral effects. Blackouts. Disturbed sleep.

Peripheral and central neuropathies.

Problems with thinking: Alcohol impairs all aspects of

mental status—orientation, concentration, memory, mood, judgment, and insight. It is associated with depression, anxiety, personality change, paranoid delu

sions, and psychoses including

hallucinations.

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant; it impairs the

ability to drive, slows down reaction time, and increases poor decision-making. Dementia.

Other Toxic Effects •^

Trauma: Those who drink regularly have a higher rate of deaths from injury, including work-p

lace injury, motor-vehicle

accidents, and recreational accidents.

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Social problems including work absence and poor performance, and interpersonal problems including divorce.

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Numerous drug interactions.

Athletic Effects Ergogenic Effects

Alcohol has some acute anti-anxiety and anti-tremor effects.

These theoretically might help in spor

ts such as archery, billiards, or

riflery. There is no convincing evidence that alcohol enhances performance in any sport. Ergolytic Effects

Studies examining aerobic capacity or performance time to

exhaustion always show worse

performance by subjects who have

consumed alcohol—even low to moderate doses.

Perception of exercise exertion may not change—athletes may

think that they are doing fine.

Here are some of the specific problems for athletes:

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Slows reaction times. If it muddles your thinking and causes you to miss a key move in a race, that is one thing. Death is another. Alcohol is the number one killer of

teens and young adults in the

US. One-third of Americans who die each year from bicycle accidents are found to be riding under the influence of alcohol.

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Displaces other valuable food sources and is associated with many nutritional deficiencies d

escribed above and throughout

this book.

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Poor replacement fluid. Although portrayed as a replacement beverage in advertising, it may

worsen dehydration and usually

does not provide enough sodium or carbohydrate for glycogen refueling.

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Heart. Alcohol decreases heart rate

and the ability of the heart to

contract. Stroke volume, work capacity, peak lactate levels, blood pressure and respiratory

dynamics are all adversely

affected.

Nutrition for Sports, Essentials of 95