Abstinence: what are its benefits for athletes.

The most important thing for any athlete is to win an event. And it does not matter what level it is - the world championship, playing for the university team or participation in the sports festival of the city. A true athlete must be equally prepared for any competition and by its beginning must have excellent physical and psychological preparation. This includes training and concentration and proper nutrition. Here is just until now there is no clear answer to the question - should an athlete abstain from sex before the competition, or such advice from coaches are obsolete for today?

Subjectivity of personal opinions How important is the role of sex in a sports victory or defeat? There are many conflicting opinions on this subject. Athletes themselves also have different opinions. It is known that the famous American boxer, the undisputed world heavyweight champion Mohamed Ali always abstained from sexual intercourse a few weeks before the fight. He believed that sex gave him a feeling of calmness and emotional satisfaction, and he needed to be aggressive and focused on the fight to the end. World champion track and field athlete Marty Licuori, an American runner, also agreed with him. He said that sex makes him happy, except that people who enjoy happiness don't achieve world records in sports. Joseph William Namath, one of the most famous professional soccer players, once a symbol of the American Football League, on the contrary, strongly advocated sexual intercourse before the big game. He claimed that intimacy improves sports performance, increases male power and confidence in themselves and in victory. As you can see, all of these arguments are highly individual and based, all the same, on subjective assessments of people who may be wrong. The body retains nutrients Sports doctors have a more categorical opinion, based on the results of tests. For example, semen is known to be a viscous substance rich in calcium, phosphorus, lecithin, cholesterol, proteins, iron, vitamin E and other biological compounds. Sexology professor Jim Pfaus, of Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, cites this fact. In one sexual act, a man loses as many important biological substances after ejaculation as are contained in 6-8 ounces of his blood. That is, it is possible to assume what physiological damage one sexual intercourse causes to the male organism. Certainly, biological substances in it are quickly replenished, but an athlete needs them here and now. He has to make his muscles and ligaments work as hard as they can. But loss of sperm deprives his body of vital energy and valuable biological substances, and this is simply unacceptable before the competition. Good level of testosterone Men's testosterone levels drop after sex, and their muscles contract more slowly than usual. In the next 20 hours after intercourse, almost all physical functions in this man decrease by 20%. This conclusion was made by scientists from the University of Illinois, Chicago, at the end of the 20th century. Abstaining from sex for several weeks causes the athlete to increase the level of testosterone in the blood serum, and this in turn increases muscle performance and adds aggression to the man, which the stable mental personality successfully transforms into athletic anger. Therefore, sexual intercourse 24 to 36 hours before a competition causes physical and psychological damage to the athlete, which can prevent him from achieving high sports results. A normal heart rate is maintained Medics have long noticed that sexual intercourse in men negatively affects heart rate. There are quite a few reported cases of a man getting a bad heart after sex all over the world. Athletes are certainly healthy people and their cardiovascular system is always in perfect order. However, scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany, believe that sex before important competitions for a short time and in all healthy people, including athletes, disrupts the usual heart rhythm. But it has a negative effect not on coronary vessels, but on immune function and further muscle recovery. The fact is that after sex there is an increase in levels of the hormone cortisol, which enhances various catabolic processes in the body and a person feels lethargic, relaxed and fatigued. Meanwhile, the competition requires energy, concentration and physical strength. If it is victory and not participation that matters, then the athlete should not disregard the old advice of experienced coaches and still decide to abstain before the competition.