Home-

Facts On Adolescent Binge Drinking › Consequences › Weakened Athletic Performance

Weakened Athletic Performance

High school and college athletes should be especially conscientious about their consumption of alcohol—in fact, they should think twice before consuming any alcohol, and should never binge drink. This is because exercise is a complex activity utilizing many of the body’s organ systems. When you consume alcohol, it exerts an effect on most of these systems, including the central nervous system (i.e. the brain), muscular system (i.e. motor skills), and cardiovascular system (i.e. the heart).

Research has explored the relationship between binge drinking and athletic performance:

  • Most college level athletes began drinking by the end of high school.
  • Both male and female athletes have higher rates of binge drinking than non-athletes.
  • Even one episode of binge drinking can affect the brain and body for several days.
  • Athletes who drink alcohol at least once per week have an elevated risk of injury as compared to athletes who do not drink.
  • Alcohol consumption slows the healing process for sports-related injuries.

The following highlight the effects that alcohol can have on an athlete’s performance:

  • slowed reaction time
  • decreased hand-eye coordination
  • decreased accuracy and balance
  • impaired tracking, visual search, recognition and response skills
  • slowed running and cycling times
  • weakened pumping force of the heart
  • impaired temperature regulation during exercise
  • decreased grip strength and jump height
  • faster fatigue during high-intensity exercise
  • increased rate of dehydration


References


Library Watch on Substance Use and the College Campus. Fall 2002. http://www.projectcork.org/newsletters/library_watch/2002/fall/html/College.html

Winters, K. C. & T. Mitchell. Under Construction: Adolescent Brain Development and its Implications for Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Prevention Tactics. 8(8):2005.

Winters, K. Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain: Tastes Great, Less Functioning. 2006.

Winters, K. C. & T. Mitchell. Under Construction: Adolescent Brain Development and its Implications for Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Prevention Tactics. 8(8):2005.

Winters, K. Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain: Tastes Great, Less Functioning. 2006.

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Green Zone. Office of Alcohol and Drug Education; University of Notre Dame. 2004. http://www.nd.edu/%7Ewebdev/alcohol_and_drug/green_zone.shtml

Winters, K. C. & T. Mitchell. Under Construction: Adolescent Brain Development and its Implications for Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Prevention Tactics. 8(8):2005.

White, A.M. Substance Use and the Adolescent Brain: An Overview with a Focus on Alcohol. Topics in Alcohol Research. Duke University. 2004. http://www.duke.edu/~amwhite/Adolescence/index.html

White, A.M. Substance Use and the Adolescent Brain: An Overview with a Focus on Alcohol. Topics in Alcohol Research. Duke University. 2004. http://www.duke.edu/~amwhite/Adolescence/index.html

Binge Drinking Hand Outs: Governor’s Prevention Advisory Council Statewide Strategic Planning Workgroup.  EMT Group, Inc. 2003.

Winters, K. Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain: Tastes Great, Less Functioning. 2006.

Green Zone. Office of Alcohol and Drug Education; University of Notre Dame. 2004. http://www.nd.edu/%7Ewebdev/alcohol_and_drug/green_zone.shtml

Winters, K. C. & T. Mitchell. Under Construction: Adolescent Brain Development and its Implications for Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Prevention Tactics. 8(8):2005.

Winters, K. Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain: Tastes Great, Less Functioning. 2006.

Winters, K. C. & T. Mitchell. Under Construction: Adolescent Brain Development and its Implications for Preventing Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Prevention Tactics. 8(8):2005.

Green Zone. Office of Alcohol and Drug Education; University of Notre Dame. 2004. http://www.nd.edu/%7Ewebdev/alcohol_and_drug/green_zone.shtml

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Binge Drinking Hand Outs: Governor’s Prevention Advisory Council Statewide Strategic Planning Workgroup.  EMT Group, Inc. 2003.

California Student Survey (CSS) Fact Sheet: Binge Drinking. 10th Biennial California Study Survey (2003-2004). WestEd. http://www.safestate.org/index.cfm?navid=254

Austin, G. Executive Summary: Heavy AOD Use Among California 9th and 11th Graders. Results of the 2003-04 California Student Survey. Jan. 8, 2006.

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Twitchell, G.R. Concentrated Alcohol Consumption by Heavy Drinkers: Associated Risks & Costs. UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs. Nov. 2003.

Springer, J.F., Phillips, J., & B. Roberts. High Rate Underage Users: Need and Promise of a School-Based Solution: A Briefing Report to the Governor’s Prevention Advisory Council High Rate Users Workgroup. CARS. July 29, 2004.

Office of Applied Studies. 2004. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. NSDUH Report: Alcohol Dependence or Abuse and Age at First Use. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Measures of Alcohol Consumption: Facts on Binge Drinking, Heavy Drinking, and Underage Drinking. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dec. 8, 2005. http://communitydispatch.com/artman/publish/printer_3053.shtml. [Accessed on 08/01/06]

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Binge Drinking Hand Outs: Governor’s Prevention Advisory Council Statewide Strategic Planning Workgroup.  EMT Group, Inc. 2003.

Binge Drinking: Medical and Social Consequences. Institute of Alcohol Studies. http://www.ias.org.uk/factsheets/binge-drinkingmed.pdf

Binge Drinking Hand Outs: Governor’s Prevention Advisory Council Statewide Strategic Planning Workgroup.  EMT Group, Inc. 2003.

Youth and Underage Drinking: An Overview. US Department of Health and Human Services. http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/RPO990/. [Accessed on 08/01/06]

California Student Survey (CSS) Fact Sheet: Binge Drinking. 10th Biennial California Study Survey (2003-2004). WestEd. http://www.safestate.org/index.cfm?navid=254

Springer, J.F., Phillips, J., & B. Roberts. High Rate Underage Users: Need and Promise of a School-Based Solution: A Briefing Report to the Governor’s Prevention Advisory Council High Rate Users Workgroup. CARS. July 29, 2004.

Alcohol and Athletic Performance. University Health Center; University of Georgia. 2005. http://www.UHS.UGA.EDU/ATOD/ATHLETIC-PERFORMANCE.HTML

Study Links Obesity, Other Health Problems to Adolescent Binge Drinking. University of Washington. July 8, 2004. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/07/040708004422.htm

Butler, K. The Grim Neurology of Teenage Drinking. The New York Times. July 4, 2006.

Hingson, R.W., T Heeren, and M.R. Winter. Age at Drinking Onset and Alcohol Dependence. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 160:2006. www.archpediatrics.com. [Accessed on 07/14/06]

Legal Consequences for Underage Drinking and Other Drug Use. Families and Communties Together. Lowe Family Foundation. 2002. http://www.lowefamily.org/communities/legal.html. [Accessed on 08/02/06]

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Develops an Innovative Liquor Law Enforcement Program—TRACE—to Enforce Underage Drinking Laws. Successful Innovations: News from the Field. Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center. Jan. 2005. http://www.udetc.org/success_stories/CA0105.pdf. [Accessed on 08/02/06]