Alcoholism is one of the common causes of death among the population. The relationship between sports, exercise, and alcohol consumption is poorly understood. Ethyl alcohol is still the most commonly used drug among dancers.
However, how dangerous is ethanol for healthy and professionally trained people, coupled with dancing?
How do alcohol and exercise interact?
In experimental conditions, either acute (single dose) or chronic alcoholism was studied. Dutch studies have shown that alcohol consumption reduces the use of glucose and amino acids by skeletal muscle. It also negatively affects energy supply and impairs metabolism during exercise.
Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with increased activity of citrate synthase.
There is evidence that exercise can accelerate the metabolism of ethanol in the liver. Exercise reduces the degree of oxidative damage caused by ethanol.
Data from animal studies have also suggested that physical activity reduces the effects of ethanol. Significant epidemiological evidence of alcohol benefits was also evaluated. It is believed that moderate alcohol consumption can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.
One mechanism is to increase the level of high density lipoproteins. Moderate exercise and alcohol consumption can have a beneficial effect on blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. However, convincing experimental data are not enough to confirm the hypothesis. Accidental and chronic alcohol consumption is usually associated with adverse changes in platelet aggregation and function.
The effect of alcohol consumption on the rheological properties of blood is poorly understood.
Recent experimental studies suggest that drinking alcohol impairs blood viscosity.
Ethanol also enhances the excretion of urine from the body. However, the researchers found a relatively recent association between increased urination, dancing, and mortality.
Why are exhausting dances dangerous?
Prolonged physical activity increases the loss of fluid and salt with sweat. Alcohol blocks the action of vasopressin - a hormone that holds water in the body. Severe sweating, coupled with constant "going to the toilet" increase the risk of hyponatremia and severe dehydration.
The first case of severe dehydration due to uncontrolled dancing and beer consumption was recorded in 1972. In a study by an American scientist, 17.3% of hospitalized patients with alcoholism had hyponatremia.
In patients with normal renal function, excessive water intake does not lead to serious consequences. If a person consumes up to 1 g of salt, the kidneys are able to excrete from 12 to 18 liters of fluid.
During physical exertion, a person loses much more salt, so the risk of hyponatremia increases significantly. In the first minutes, the condition is not noticed by an intoxicated person. If dancing continues, uncontrolled vomiting, general malaise, and dizziness develop after 20-30 minutes. As the pathological condition develops, a stupor occurs, confusion of thoughts and coma.
Intense dancing, which is accompanied by dizziness, is a complicating risk factor. Dizziness stimulates the release of vasopressin. The hormone retains fluid in the tissues and stimulates the excretion of salts. On the one hand, the negative effect of alcohol is weakened, and on the other, the risk of hyponatremia is increased.
If dizziness appears in already existing hyponatremia, this can lead to rapid death. Cases have been noted when dizziness became a direct cause of an increase in the pathological condition.
If you experience nausea, vomiting, headache, you need to stop dancing and immediately consult a doctor. You may need a dropper with saline solution, which will help restore the water-salt balance.
