Alcohol Effects on Athletic Performance

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Just as a non-athlete, athletes use alcohol as a means to celebrate or to relax.  This can range from a post competition celebratory drink to the weekend warrior.  Most athletes are not thinking about the acute effects alcohol consumption has on their performance and recovery.  Alcohol has both short and long-term effects of most all body systems.  Genetics, gender, and volume of alcohol consumed, body mass, and nutritional status.  

“Recent scientific research confirms that just an occasional weekend alcohol binge can significantly reduce muscle fibers and diminsh those athletic performance results you’ve trained so hard for at the gym. Before the liver cells die, the body undergoes hormonal alterations that include an increase in adrenal secretion of steroid hormones” (Bianco. 2014). 

Muscle hypertrophy is a result of alcohol intake due to increased myostatin.  This is detrimental to athlete’s performance and recovery.  




Consequences of alcohol use on athletic performance (NCAA and SCAN)
1.   Decreases aerobic performance.   Alcohol is a diuretic that can lead to dehydration. It also impairs temperature regulation and accelerates fatigue. 


2.   Impairs motor skills and decreases strength, power and sprint performance.
Alcohol slows reaction time and impairs precision, equilibrium, hand-eye coordination, accuracy, balance, judgment, information processing, focus, stamina, strength, power and speed for up to 72 hours (three days). 


3.   Slows recovery. Alcohol can interfere with recovery by delaying muscle repair. 


4.   Negatively affects body composition. Drinking could lead to increased body fat accumulation due to ethanol storage as fat. Alcohol’s stimulant effect can also result in increased caloric intake and, therefore, overall weight gain. 


5.   Increases the risk for nutrient deficiencies. Not only does alcohol decrease vitamin and mineral absorption, but also certain nutrients are used to help clear alcohol out of your system, leaving less of those nutrients available for normal function. 

6.   Increases risk of illness and injury. Regular alcohol consumption depresses immune function and contributes to delayed healing. 

7.   Disrupts sleep. Alcohol can interfere with sleep patterns by reducing time spent in deep, restful sleep. 


Data from NCAA Substance Use Survey (Underwood, 2009)
ALCOHOL: 
82.2% of athletes drink 3-5, 6-9, 10 OR MORE drinks when they drink. 
84% of athletes drink 1-2X, 3-4X or 5X or > in a normal week. 

Competitive season vs. off-season and alcohol use 
I do not use during the competitive season
18.0%
Less use during the competitive season
65.0% No difference between competitive or off-season
15.9%
More use during competitive season

Do you drink at the following times?
Before practice; 1.2%

After practice; 31.3%

After competition; 66.4% 
NCAA male athletes reporting ALCOHOL use: 
Baseball, 83.4
Basketball, 74 .1 
Football, 76 .2 
Tennis, 79 .1 
Track and field, 68.8 
Fencing, 86 .6 
Golf, 82.8 
Gymnastics, 83 .0 
Ice hockey,  92 .8 
Lacrosse, 89.4 
Rifie, 75.0 
Skiing, 95.6 
Soccer,  83.9 
Swimming, 84.7 
Water polo,  91.9 
Wrestling, 85.4

NCAA female athletes reporting ALCOHOL use: 
Basketball, 71.5 
Softball, 85.3
Swimming,  88.1 
Tennis, 83.9
Track and field, 71.3
Fencing, 80.0
Golf, 83.7
Gymnastics, 77.5
Ice hockey, 87.2
Lacrosse, 93.4
Skiing, 91.3 
Soccer, 86.9
Volleyball, 77.5
Field hockey, 88.2 

 MA

Alcohol and Athletic Performance Fact Sheet. https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Alcohol%20and%20Athletic%20Performance%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

The Effects of Alcohol on Athletic Performance.
https://www.nsca.com/education/articles/nsca-coach/the-effects-of-alcohol-on-athletic-performance/

Detrimental Effects of Alcohol to Muscle Fibers & Athletic Performance

Alcohol Diminishes Athletic Performance.

https://www.infofit.ca/alcohol-muscle-fibers-athletic-performance/

Nutrition & Metabolism (Bianco. 2014) owww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4056249/

Underwood, J (2009). Athletes and social drug use the party is over. Coaches Plan. 16(4), 31-35. 



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