How You Sunscreen Affects Your Athletic Performance

At the 2010 Battle of the Paddle Stand Up Paddle Race. Jon Ham from http://www.Suptrainer.com talks with Pete from Waterman’s Sunscreen about how skin protections keeps your hormones and body functioning correctly during outdoor athletic events. Stress Hormones, Sun Protection and Athletic Performance One of the more misunderstood and under rated benefits of utilizing a proper skin protection plan is increased athletic performance. Sun exposure is caustic to the skin, the largest organ in the human body, and the body’s immediate reaction to this type of invasion is to react as if under stress. When under stress the body produces stress hormones, including Cortisol. These hormones play an important role in our natural fight or flight response by signaling blood vessels to dilate and blood pressure to rise in preparation for dealing with whatever is causing stress. This is great if one needs to make a quick get away, but for an athlete in the middle of competition the release of stress hormones can be detrimental to performance; inflammation of the digestive tract contributes to digestive problems and inflammation of the airways contributes to asthma and other respiratory problems that will negatively affect performance. More over, visible inflammation of the skin commonly referred to as Sunburn takes blood away from vital organs and muscles where it is needed most during competition. All of which affect the body’s ability to maintain stable energy levels and consistent performance. By using a proper protection plan, including protective clothing, an athlete can stave off the inevitable release of stress hormones more affectively and maintain peak performance for longer than without. The Skin The skin is the largest organ in the human body, serving as a protective barrier between the body’s internal environment and the outside world. It controls our temperature and protects us from environmental influences, but its ability to protect itself against the harmful effects of the sun’s UV radiation is ... Distributed by Tubemogul.