Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
If you are not aware that moderate alcohol consumption hurts performance, you are not reading my links. I read yours.
Again, we're talking about
moderate alcohol consumption. You seem to be conflating moderate with heavy alcohol consumption to make your argument. Here are a few excerpts (plucked at random) from you links which seem to implicate
heavy drinking in reduced athletic performance.
What is apparent is that a threshold exists at which point alcohol becomes detriment to aerobic performance. Cofan and colleagues describe an alcohol intoxication threshold of *20mmol/L of ethanol in both animal [12] and human [10] studies, beyond which did performance decrements become significant. Further research has elaborated that this cause-effect relationship may exist in a dose dependent manner [43].
*This is above the legal limit for driving in most states.
Most of the studies examining alcohol and athlete recovery have focused predominately on functional measures of muscle performance and blood borne markers of cellular tissue damage. To date, these studies have produced inconclusive results that fail to demonstrate a dose-dependency or critical threshold above which muscular recovery is compromised.
Alcohol causes dehydration — Alcohol is widely reported as causing dehydration. This statement is true to a point, however it is largely dependent on the concentration of the alcoholic drink being consumed. Concentrated drinks such as spirits consumed in small glasses or shots, full-strength beers and wine will result in a net fluid loss. However low-alcohol choices such as mid-strength beers and spirits served in large glasses with a non-alcoholic mixer may actually assist athletes to rehydrate following exercise.
Your health-care provider should be able to help you do this. Your overall health and risks for alcohol-associated conditions should factor into the equation. If you are thin, physically active, don’t smoke, eat a healthy diet, and have no family history of heart disease, drinking alcohol won’t add much to decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. (Bold added)
Yes, if you're at low risk for heart disease already alcohol probably won't make a practical difference. I wonder what percentage of 50+ year old Americans are thin, physically active, has good genes and eats a clean diet? I'm going to wager that it's something well under 5%.
This also ignores the reduced risk of stroke, reduced risk of developing alzheimer's disease and increased lifespan associated with moderate alcohol consumption.