Steroids in Combat sports: Adverse effects on health
Fact sheet Fluids in Sport
Caffeine and Exercise Performance
The Positive Impact of Sports
Alcohol and Athletic Performance
The effects of alcohol can depend on the amount consumed, the environmental context, and
on the individual. Daily consumption of up to four drinks may have a protective effect on the
cardiovascular system. Nonetheless, people most commonly drink for alcohol’s anxiolytic
(stress-reducing) property. Conversely, alcohol has a wide spectrum of negative effects,
from societal to physiological, accounting for approximately 100,000 deaths yearly in the
United States. From a physiological perspective, two situations draw special attention for the
fitness-oriented individual who consumes alcohol. Acutely, alcohol can cause negative
effects on motor skills and physical performance. Chronically, alcohol abuse may eventually
impede physical performance; individuals diagnosed with alcohol dependence have
displayed varying degrees of muscle damage and weakness. Furthermore, alcohol abuse is
at least as prevalent in the athletic community as it is in the general population; the vast
majority of athletes have begun drinking by the end of high school.