Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/106685
SCoring with sobriety 46.8% 51.0% Underage Alcohol Use Underage persons admiting to drinking alcohol in the 30 days before they were surveyed, has declined since 2002 in every age category. Percentage of persons who drank in the past 30 days. How Alcohol Affects Athletes 32.6% The American Athletic Institute has conducted studies of alcohol use and athlete performance. Here are some of the findings: 25.3% 11.3% AGES 18-20 -17 AGES 16 2.5% AGES 14-15 13 AGES 12- Source: 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health 16.6% 4.3% 20 11 20 02 "[Alcohol is] a dead end for athletes when it comes to performance and recovery," says Dave Ellis, a registered dietician and certified strength and conditioning specialist who works with elite athletes up to the highest level of professional sports. As most players are aware, it is awfully difficult to achieve their peak physical condition, and then to maintain it. It takes patience, dedication and a lot of hard work. But according to a study conducted by the American Athletic Institute, just one night of drinking to the point of intoxication can erase 14 days of training. That's a lot of hard work down the drain. Then there's the issue of how alcohol can negatively impact performance, even if it's consumed days prior to competition. According to Ellis, alcohol's diuretic properties negatively impact the body's ability to reform glycogen, which essentially stores energy to fuel muscles and the brain. Without proper glycogen levels, an athlete's muscles will fatigue quicker, take longer to recover and keep the brain from firing the way it should. "[Alcohol] doesn't do anything for anyone's ability to deal with the speed of the game," Ellis says. "Reaction time is such a huge factor in a game like hockey. Being able to process and anticipate when somebody is still metabolizing alcohol, it's going to be compromised." There is evidence that alcohol can slow reaction time and impact balance, hand-eye coordination and visual perception – vital aspects for hockey – for up to 72 hours after consumption. Hockey players also have to deal with a series of practices and games packed into a short time span, especially at tournaments, which makes muscle and energy recovery even more essential. As the American Athletic Institute found, a body that normally recovers from a strenuous workout in 24 hours may take two or three times long when alcohol is still being processed by the body. And while Ellis advocates greater education to reach young athletes, he knows that it will ultimately come down to a personal decision by the individual. "It's tempting, but you've got to know there are bigger things in life than partying," Labosky says. "It gets easier and easier to say no and shrug it off," Moore adds. "Your friends learn to respect you when you make a decision to say no to drugs and alcohol." N TRAINING EFFECT Every time you get drunk, you lose approximately 14 days of training effect. That's right, one night of drinking and two weeks of training effect is erased. You are wasting your time and your career. TRAINING HORMONES Alcohol suppresses your training hormones for up to four days. Basically you are at practice but the hormones you need to gain training effect and condition are not. You practice but no improvement comes. PERFORMANCE POTENTIAL The effect of recent heavy drinking lowers your performance potential by 11.4 percent before you even step on the ice. MUSCLES Lactic acid levels, which fatigue your muscles, increases much earlier and primary muscles that you depend on shut down or are slower and weaker. LUNGS You will not be able to catch your breath during breaks in activity. Your breathing rate will be very high and you will hyperventilate or lose control of your breathing. Your lungs are trying to get oxygen to your working muscles and clear carbon dioxide from your system but they cannot. HEART Your heart rate will be much higher and over time your cardiac output will decrease. The oxygen rich blood will not reach your working muscles. The lactic acid will build up in the muscles and you will slow down and be weaker. MUSCLE FUELS Normally we can reload our muscles with fuels (glycogen) in 8-12 hours, but after drinking it can be 16-24 hours. RECOVERY Normal recovery from maximal stress is 24 hours, but after drinking, it can be 48-96 hours. DEHYDRATION Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you urinate. MUSCLE REPAIR When we train muscle is damaged. We repair it by making protein into new fibers. Drinking slows down this repair process. It is in your speed muscles that this process is most reduced. REFLEX Alcohol affects reaction time and hand-eye coordination, which are two of the most important functions in most sport. CONCLUSION Alcohol is a metabolic poison, clear and simple. It affects the entire body and all body systems, especially those that control high performance. No serious athlete should use alcohol. Chris Peters is a freelance writer based out of North Liberty, Iowa who also writes the popular United States of Hockey blog. 32 February. 2013 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM Photo By Jim Rosvold