Top 5 Effects Of Alcohol Linked To Fitness

In this article we’ll discuss 5 effects of alcohol linked to fitness: People have mixed opinions about alcohol. Some believe that alcohol has some sort of health benefits and others believe that it is a sedative and harmful. The fact is that the health benefits and side effects of alcohol vary from person to person depending on the amount and type of alcohol consumed.

Scroll on to know the health benefits and 5 effects of alcohol linked to fitness.

Table of Contents

What Contains In An Alcoholic Drink?

An alcoholic drink is produced by fermentation of grains, carb-rich fruits such as grapes, or other sources of sugar with a catalyst, which is usually yeast. It contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that makes you drunk.

5 effects of alcohol linked to fitness

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a casual gym-goer or playing sport to be fit. You need to understand the effects of alcohol linked to fitness and sports performance. Drinking Alcohol in a regular fashion could get in the way of you reaping the rewards from all the work you’ve put in. Here are 5 effects of alcohol linked to fitness to consider.

Alcohol results in weight gain:

Today’s fitness industry is anti to alcohol because of its lack of nutritional content in alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is high in calories and those calories are considered empty calories. That means those calories are not the macronutrients that you get from foods.

Alcohol has seven calories per gram, whereas pure fats have 9 calories per gram and certain fats are healthy.

If you exercise to manage your weight and you’re taking these unnecessary ‘empty’ calories through alcohol and preventing weight loss. In addition to this, extra empty calories from drinking alcoholic drinks can lead to obesity and a higher risk of developing diabetes in some people.

Alcohol leads to dehydration:

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you have to pee more by affecting how your kidneys reabsorb fluids. If you drink alcoholic drinks and don’t replenish those fluids before going to bed, you’re likely to wake up dehydrated.

That results in Hangover symptoms typically begin when your blood alcohol content drops significantly and is at or close to zero. According to a study, a hangover can reduce your aerobic performance by 11 percent, but even just one drink may affect your performance.

However, drinking a lot of water can reverse the symptoms. This is important because hydration helps your body circulate blood and oxygen to your muscles and keeps your blood pressure normal.

Alcohol danger for diabetes:

Ethanol is processed in the liver and because it’s toxic to humans in high amounts. The liver prioritizes breaking down ethanol into byproducts first to flush out of the body. When your liver is busy breaking down alcohol, it’s efficiency in producing glucose to help fuel your workout decreases.

This is even more dangerous for diabetics. It is more likely to develop a condition called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Chronic alcohol consumption and exercise is not recommended.

Risk of heart diseases:

Drinking alcohol too much can raise the levels of fats (triglycerides) in the blood. A fat molecule (triglyceride) combined with high LDL (bad) cholesterol has been linked to blocking in the artery walls. As a result, it results in heart attack and stroke.

Other than this, there are several other side-effects are there like, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia. Excessive drinking causes alcohol poisoning and in rare cases, it may even lead to death.

Poor digestion:

This effect is not seen immediately after a sip or a one-time consumption of alcohol. The effect on your digestion only appears after there has been damage. The more you drink, the worse it will become.

Over drinking can damage the tissues in your digestive tract and prevent your intestines from digesting food and absorbing nutrients and vitamins. This results in malnutrition. Heavy drinking can also lead to bloating and painful stools. The effects of overconsumption of alcohol are not over yet.

The central nervous system may be affected by the overconsumption of alcohol.
People who are addicted to alcohol are more likely to develop a physical and emotional dependency on alcohol.

Alcohol is more likely to disrupt sleep patterns. Results in less release of Growth Hormones and also results in poor muscle growth.
Men who drink too much are may experience erectile dysfunction. Also lowers sex hormone production and lowers your libido.
Overconsumption of alcohol is linked to a decrease in testosterone levels in men.
Premature delivery, miscarriage is possible in women who drink heavily during pregnancy and is more likely to develop Fetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASD) for the baby.
Long-term consumption of alcoholic drinks may prevent your body from keeping your bones strong. This increases your risk for fractures if you fall.
Over drinking reduces your body’s natural immune system. And there are a lot more side effects to consider.

The Good Side Of Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is somehow related to fitness and sports performance. Consumption of alcohol has several side effects but, that is not the whole case. If you are physically fit, you can significantly improve alcohol use disorders and their negative effects.

How much you drink matters more than the type of alcoholic beverage. Red wine seems to be beneficial because it is very high in healthy antioxidants. It has more health benefits than any other alcoholic beverage when consumed in fewer amounts or a sip occasionally.

Overconsumption of any alcoholic beverage may cause health problems irrespective of the type of beverage. Some studies have shown that those who drink alcohol in minimal amounts have lower rates of heart disease than nondrinkers.

Is Drinking Alcohol Everyday Risky?

Absolutely yes, alcohol works as a sedative for some people. If you drink daily, it is more likely to develop a habit of drinking. Over time you tend to drink more.

The Conclusion

Take note that, the 5 effects of alcohol linked to fitness discussed in this article are for the people who drink heavily over a long period. Once in a while have fewer health effects comparatively. Red wine is the healthiest among all alcoholic beverages. It has its effects if one crosses the limit. At the end of the day, the quantity of alcohol you consume matters the most. There is no compelling reason to avoid alcohol if you don’t binge.

I hope this article(5 effects of alcohol linked to fitness) is helpful for you.

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