The Truth About “Impact × Alcohol” That Erodes a Fighter’s Brain

Danny The Camp
Jan 8
11 min read

Why “Drinking” Can So Easily Destroy a Fighter’s Life (From the Front Lines of a Gym in Chiang Mai)

When I run a Muay Thai gym like The Camp, I witness—every single day—how human “light” and “shadow” collide.

In the crisp morning air, wrapped in Thailand’s heat, you see people grinding through roadwork, hurling their soul into the heavy bag, trying to break past their physical limits. That is unmistakably a fighter’s light.

But when the sun goes down, those same hands reach for alcohol.

“I worked hard today.”“I came all the way to Chiang Mai.”“I just want to have fun with friends.”There are endless reasons.

So let me make our gym’s position absolutely clear—firmly, unequivocally:

Alcohol is a carcinogenic substance disguised as a “luxury.” It can also have neurotoxic effects on the brain. You should not drink.

In Thailand, for many years, alcohol sales have been restricted during parts of the day for public health and public safety reasons (for example, general retail sales have historically been limited to 11:00–14:00 and 17:00–24:00), leaving the afternoon as a managed “blank zone.”But in recent years, voices from tourism and service industries have pushed for revisions—and in December 2025, a trial policy was reported that temporarily lifted the afternoon ban (14:00–17:00) for 180 days.

This is not a story about “the country starting to promote drinking.” If anything, it highlights the reality that alcohol is a substance with such massive social cost that governments end up in constant tug-of-war between health and economy. Every time “relaxation” is discussed, the clash between public health and business interests rises to the surface. Thailand is not an exception.

And fighters are in an even more precarious position than the average person.

Because combat sports, by their very structure, accumulate impacts to the brain. Add alcohol on top, and the damage may become not an addition—but a multiplication.

Today, I’m not going to talk about alcohol based on vibes or “social atmosphere.” I’m going to talk about it based on evidence. And I’m going to explain why, for fighters, alcohol can become a lethal blow.

Chapter 1: Why I Call Alcohol “Poison”—Without Apology

1-1) In the Same Category as Asbestos and Tobacco: Top-Level Carcinogen (Group 1)

Ethanol in alcoholic beverages—and acetaldehyde, which is produced when your body metabolizes ethanol—are classified by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as Group 1: carcinogenic to humans.

That is the same category as asbestos, radioactive substances, and tobacco.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) also clearly explains that alcohol is linked to multiple cancers—such as cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, and breast—and that IARC classifies it as Group 1.

In plain terms: when you drink, carcinogenic biochemical reactions begin inside your body.You cannot “willpower” your way into making that harmless.

1-2) The “Moderate Drinking Is Healthy” Story Collapses in the Face of Cancer

The idea that “a small amount is good for your health” is increasingly being undermined by newer epidemiological research.

WHO/Europe and the IARC, in a joint statement to the European Parliament, deliver a clear message from a cancer-prevention standpoint: it’s better not to drink.

The key point is this: because there is clear evidence that even light-to-moderate drinking increases cancer risk, no safe amount can be established for cancer. At least on the single issue of cancer, the narrative of “a little is healthy” does not hold.

1-3) Even Before “Addiction,” the Brain’s Structure Itself Can Be Damaged

Alcohol’s problem is often reduced to “dependency,” but data suggests it can be linked to the brain’s physical structure itself.

A large-scale study using UK Biobank brain imaging (36,678 people) found that higher alcohol consumption was associated with unfavorable differences in brain-structure measures, including gray matter and white matter.

There are also reviews suggesting alcohol can damage the blood–brain barrier (BBB)—one of the brain’s most important protective systems—and contribute to neuroinflammation.

In other words:

Alcohol isn’t just “bad for your liver.”It can quietly shave away at the brain’s command center.

For a fighter, the brain is not optional—it is the one-and-only command system. We should be far more sensitive to the fact that we may be dissolving that command system ourselves.

Chapter 2: The “Reasons You Need Alcohol” Are Mostly an Illusion

2-1) The Trap of “Red Wine Is Good for You”

Years ago, “moderate drinking is healthy” became a popular story. But observational studies are vulnerable to bias: differences in lifestyle and health status between drinkers and non-drinkers (confounding factors) can distort the results.

If you drink enough wine to “get the benefits” of polyphenols, your liver and brain will start screaming from alcohol toxicity before you ever reach those benefits.

And at the very least, the message from international health authorities is: for cancer prevention, it’s better not to drink.

Elevating alcohol for “health” is structurally dangerous—because the potential “gain” (even if it exists) is easily outweighed by the “loss” (cancer, brain damage, mental health deterioration, accidents).

If you want health benefits, eat grapes—or use supplements. That’s enough.

2-2) Not “Stress Relief,” but “Nervous System Numbing”

Alcohol can dull your emotions for a moment. But in exchange, it can amplify problems with sleep, mood, and impulsivity.

After alcohol wears off, the brain can rebound into feeling more anxious than before (post-alcohol anxiety). That’s not relief—it’s postponement and amplification of stress.

And the association between alcohol use and suicide risk has repeatedly been shown in systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

I’m going to say this bluntly because it matters:

Alcohol is not a tool that reduces stress.It can erode stress tolerance, delay problems, and then set the stage for them to explode.

Chapter 3: Combat Sports Are Like Taking Out a Loan Against Your Brain

Combat sports are amazing—discipline, respect, technique, resolve. I’ve seen that up close.

But at the same time, when it comes to the brain, combat sports can be brutally indifferent.

3-1) More Dangerous Than a Single KO: The “Daily Accumulation”

CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is an area where research is still developing, but the link with repetitive head impacts is taken seriously.

The CDC also summarizes CTE as being studied in relation to repeated impacts over long periods.

And what’s most dangerous in real gyms isn’t the dramatic KO—it’s the small, repeated jolts that accumulate through daily sparring, padwork, and fights.

These are often referred to as sub-concussive impacts (micro-impacts that do not rise to the level of a diagnosed concussion). Because symptoms don’t always appear immediately, you can keep piling up “brain debt” without realizing it.

3-2) The Breakdown of the Brain’s “Brakes”

Accumulated impacts can reduce the function of the frontal lobe, which plays a central role in controlling emotion and impulses.

CTE is discussed not only in terms of memory and thinking, but also depression, anxiety, impulsivity, aggression, personality changes, and more. It’s often described as potentially presenting with behavioral and mood changes earlier in life, and possibly dementia-like symptoms later.

When fighters become more irritable after retirement, or more prone to dependency, it may not be “just personality.” It may be that the brain’s brakes have been physically damaged.

A fighter’s risk doesn’t necessarily end at retirement. Sometimes, it begins there.

Chapter 4: The Worst Synergy—“Impact × Alcohol”

This is the core of this article: what happens when a fighter drinks?

I put it like this:

A fighter’s brain is already a forest scattered with embers. Drinking alcohol is pouring gasoline on it.

That’s not just a metaphor. Mechanisms have been discussed for why this synergy can be disastrous.

4-1) The Double Punch of Neuroinflammation

After head impact, cells called microglia activate in the brain, triggering inflammatory responses. This is part of repair—but when alcohol is added, inflammation can become chronic and may accelerate neuronal damage.

Reviews discussing the relationship between mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) and harmful drinking describe multiple pathways that may worsen outcomes, including inflammatory/immune signaling, oxidative stress, neurodegeneration, and neuroendocrine changes.

On the alcohol side, reviews also describe how alcohol may contribute to neuroinflammation and BBB (blood–brain barrier) disruption.

In short: you take a brain that’s already inflamed from being hit, and you add something that can intensify inflammation. That’s the nature of the synergy.

4-2) Stealing Sleep—The “Golden Time” of Recovery

Fighters don’t just recover muscles—they recover the nervous system. Progress doesn’t happen only during training. It happens during sleep.

But alcohol can dramatically lower sleep quality and fragment deep sleep (REM and non-REM dynamics).

The brain’s cleaning system—often referred to as the glymphatic system—is more active during sleep, and alcohol is suggested to suppress it. That means waste products (such as amyloid-β) may be cleared less effectively.

A fighter who drinks is reducing their own opportunity to wash out the brain’s “trash.”

As a result, the body can lock in a “never fully recovered” state. This is where fighters get cornered.

Chapter 5: The “Equation of Ruin” That Can Strike After Retirement

After retirement, people seek “freedom.” But a fighter’s brain may still carry hidden “debt” from past impacts.

If alcohol becomes a habit, this combination becomes more likely:

“Loneliness × Alcohol × Depression × Impulsivity” = Ruin

Common post-retirement risks include loss of identity, loneliness, and a breakdown of daily rhythm.

Alcohol can raise the risk of depression and impulsivity. Links to suicide have repeatedly been shown in meta-analyses.

And if a fighter’s frontal-lobe brakes are already weakened, their “stopping power” itself may be reduced.

Add alcohol, and impulses win. Lines you could normally hold suddenly get crossed.

I’m not writing this to scare you. I’m putting the worst combination into words to protect the life that comes after the ring.

We do not want to see more heroes—people who once shined in the ring—drown in alcohol after retirement, lose their personality, and end in a miserable collapse.

Chapter 6: When the Liver Breaks, the Brain Gets Killed Twice

Alcohol can harm the brain directly. But it doesn’t stop there. When the liver breaks down, the brain can be hit again through a different route.

You might think, “If alcohol only damages the liver, that’s personal responsibility.” But the body is connected.

When liver function declines, toxins such as ammonia may not be detoxified, travel through the bloodstream, and reach the brain. This is described as hepatic encephalopathy, explained as a spectrum of neurological and psychiatric symptoms.

In other words—

Alcohol can attack the brain directly, destroy the liver, and then attack the brain indirectly as a consequence. It’s a two-layer assault.

A fighter’s brain can be injured by impacts, burned directly by alcohol, and then finished off by toxins that rise when the liver fails. It’s a three-direction attack.

Chapter 7: Drinking Is Like Throwing Part of Your Training Into the Trash

Before “health,” alcohol betrays your effort. This isn’t motivational talk—it’s physiology and performance.

7-1) It Can Block Muscle Growth (Suppressing Muscle Protein Synthesis)

Animal studies show acute alcohol intake can suppress muscle protein synthesis and may affect mTOR signaling.

Human studies have also reported suppressed muscle protein synthesis after exercise. In other words, alcohol can impair the recovery and adaptation processes after training.

In fighter language:

“Alcohol shaves off part of the training you built—on the very same day.”

Drinking is essentially reducing the return on your hardest sessions.

7-2) Testosterone Reduction

Testosterone is a key source of aggression, drive, and strength. Alcohol can directly reduce testicular function and may lower this critically important hormone for fighters.

7-3) The Collapse of Condition

Alcohol can promote dehydration, worsen sleep quality, trigger overeating, and reduce next-day training efficiency.

Its diuretic effect can drain water and electrolytes (including magnesium and zinc). That not only hurts performance the next day, but may also affect the cushioning function of cerebrospinal fluid that helps protect the brain.

Most importantly, once drinking becomes habitual, it breaks your life rhythm. For fighters, the moment rhythm breaks, you lose.

Chapter 8: If Your Face Turns Red, Hear the “Genetic Warning”

Many East Asians, including Japanese, have a tendency to flush (face turns red) when drinking. This is associated with low ALDH2 activity and a reduced ability to process acetaldehyde—a toxic and carcinogenic metabolite.

In people with ALDH2 deficiency, evidence suggests that the same amount of alcohol may increase acetaldehyde-related DNA damage, and mechanisms have been discussed for increased esophageal cancer risk.

So if you flush, “you’ll get used to it” doesn’t apply. That isn’t “tolerance.” It’s ignoring a warning light.

“Drinking makes you stronger over time” often just means your brain has become numb enough to stop feeling the warning—while internal damage accelerates.

For a fighter who flushes, alcohol is literally a potent poison.

Conclusion: Your Fists Aren’t Meant to Destroy Your Future

On alcohol: the IARC classifies it as a Group 1 carcinogen, and WHO/Europe and the IARC clearly state that, from the standpoint of cancer prevention, it is better not to drink.

And fighters are more likely to carry “embers” in the brain due to repeated head impacts. The CDC explains CTE in relation to repetitive impacts.

Adding alcohol on top can multiply risks through inflammation, impaired recovery, and mental/behavioral vulnerability.

So as someone who watches the reality of gyms every day, I’ll say this:

If a fighter doesn’t want to destroy their life, “zero alcohol” is the most rational choice.

There is no feel-good story here. Science and the front lines point in the same direction.

The phrase “in moderation” does not apply to fighters carrying brain debt.

Alternatives: Choose the “Strongest Tactics” to Protect Your Brain

Quitting alcohol is not “giving something up.”

Real recovery: sauna, massage, and high-quality sleep. For fighters, sleep is training.
Deep connection: meals with teammates where you talk through sweat and skill—not alcohol. Places to connect (not drinking parties, but food, walks, light activity).
Optimized nutrition: especially protein and micronutrients (magnesium, zinc, vitamin D) to build the foundation for recovery.
Self-control: the strength to defeat impulse—this is the strongest fighting skill of all.
Consult professionals: if low mood continues, don’t stubbornly endure it. Talk to a professional. That isn’t “weakness.” It’s strategy.

Fighters always know how to choose tactics inside the ring. Then you can choose tactics to protect your life after retirement, too.

Quitting alcohol is not just discipline—it is the bravest decision to protect your pride as a fighter and the long, shining life that comes after the ring.

Here in this gym in Chiang Mai, we want you to seize a better life through martial arts: to become stronger, to stay healthy, and to protect your intelligence and spirit long after you retire. That is what I believe true victory is.

Final Note: This Isn’t Only About Fighters

Alcohol is a carcinogenic factor, and it can also be associated with structural-level changes in the brain. People who drink regularly are not exceptions.

In fact, this matters especially to those who have just started Muay Thai. Training your body is an act of rebuilding your life. If so, it’s worth re-examining what can quietly carve your life away—your relationship with alcohol.

Muay Thai isn’t just about strength. It develops the ability to choose again. Changing how you deal with alcohol is part of that.

I hope this article helps protect not only fighters’ futures, but your health and life as well.

I truly hope this becomes one small piece of protection for your irreplaceable life.※ At our Muay Thai gym, drinking alcohol anywhere on the premises is strictly prohibited.