Work hard, play hard, right? The perceived culture among athletes involves heavy alcohol use. But if you’re an aspiring athlete, what effect is alcohol having on your game? Scientists have studied the affect that alcohol has on physical performance of the rest of the body. According to the American Athletic Institute:
- One night of heavy drinking can negate as much as fourteen days of training.
- Alcohol breaks down the body’s systems, making harder to recover, leaving the body prone to injuries. Athletes that drink are twice as likely to become injured as non-drinkers.
- The effect of a hangover reduces athletic performance by 11.4% and training can be affected up to four days after drinking. Partying on a Saturday night can lower your performance at a game the following Wednesday.
In today’s world of competitive sports,
non-drinkers clearly have an undeniable edge over drinkers, giving
them the advantage when it comes to making the team, winning that
starting spot, and receiving a college scholarship. More importantly,
these studies show that alcohol has a serious affect on the
adolescent body. Drinking not only diminishes talents and abilities
but damages young bodies to a point that could destroy their future.