Alcohol and Muscles?

Question

Does Alcohol affect muscle growth and development?

Answer 1

In short, yes, it slows down muscle growth, read more below

Alcohol is empty calories. It doesn't have any nutrients, but does have a caloric value of 7 calories per gram. In just one shot (1.5oz) of 80 proof vodka there's nearly 100 calories. For those of you trying to lose fat, forget it if you are drinking. Not only will the high calorie content of alcohol have a negative effect on your total calorie intake, but it also slows down your metabolism by disrupting the Kreb's cycle. Since the Kreb's cycle isn't working correctly, fats cannot be broken down. In short, your body is trying so hard to digest and metabolize the alcohol, that fat burning stops all together.

Alcohol consumption also hurts muscle growth. Not only due to hangovers lowering your workout intensity, but it actually lowers protein synthesis by 20%. Twenty percent! There are several reasons why it does this. For one, it dehydrates your muscle cells. As many know, hydrated and even over hydrated muscles (like when you take creatine) allows for a much higher anabolic environment. Because your cells aren't holding as much water, it becomes much harder to build muscle. The second reason why alcohol can severely hurt muscle growth is because it blocks the absorption of many important nutrients that are key to muscle contraction, relaxation and growth including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium.

OK, so I above I lied, there's actually a third way that alcohol slows down protein synthesis, I just wanted to dedicate a big part of this article to it. For those of you that don't already know this, ALCOHOL LOWERS TESTOSTERONE AND INCREASES ESTROGEN! Yes, you read that right. In one particular study, men's testosterone levels were measured before and after consumption of alcohol. At the most intoxicated state, testosterone levels had dropped to an average of 25% lower. It was also interesting to note, that when blood alcohol levels were the highest, testosterone was at its lowest. Alcohol has also been shown to cause a quicker aromatization of androgens into estrogens, which would explain why heavy drinkers often get gynecomastria (***** ****) over a period of time. For those of you taking andro (and I'm sure you already know my views on andro) I would absolutely avoid alcohol since you already are in risk for gynecomastria with the high androgen levels in your blood. By drinking, you are further putting yourself in risk for aromatization. We should also note, that in a study done with rats, alcohol reduced Insulin like Growth Hormone-1 (IGF-1) by up to 42%. That's a huge drop in IGF-1.

One thing I found unusual due to the drop in testosterone while drinking is that most guys get really horny. Beyond getting beer goggles, why is it that drinking makes you horny? What I found out is that because alcohol lowers testosterone levels so significantly, the body is struggling to bring them back up by releasing LH, in very large quantities. What's also interesting to note is that LH is just as responsible for arousal as testosterone. Unfortunately though, alcohol reduces testosterone levels at the Leydig cell, not the pituitary, so the LH is ineffective in raising testosterone levels.

Rather than just spitting facts at you, I'd like to take the time to talk about how drinking has affected my lifting. Before coming to college I had drank maybe 3 or 4 times in my entire life. My diet was always perfect, every day of the week, even on weekends. On the first night of college how ever, I discovered just how tasty (and fun) beer was. After that I'd drink every weekend, never on the night before a workout, but none-the-less every weekend. My diet was decent during the week (well, the best I could do with college food), but on weekends I'd wake up late missing at least 2 meals, and often only get 3-4 meals in on those days. Because of the lack of protein, reduction in test levels on those drinking nights and the catabolism due to the alcohol my gains suffered. I went into college last year at about 185 lbs and came out around 205. After cutting up for the summer, I was a lean 195. Had I not drank every weekend, I think I could have added about 10 more pounds of mass.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

what’s the answer to the correlation between alcohol and muscles? How does alcohol affect the muscle-building process?

What better way to avoid drinking alcohol. It will not make muscle mass. But when drinking every weekend and holiday, it can cause muscle you lost. Became fat because alcohol has calories should be enough. Moreover, the muscle is not strong because of dehydration.

4 tricks to young to drink and not ruin muscles.
1. after drinking drunk sleepy fully. Before going to bed, drink a lot of water, of about 2 liters, the better it will help keep you drunk already. Also prevents muscles from lack of water.
2 a glass and drink protein shakes, egg whites, 2 before bedtime. To maintain the level of protein synthesis in the body to balance. Replace those lost due to alcohol.
3 When you wake up and one hour before breakfast. To eat Glutamine (Glutamine) 5-10 grams of glutamine, the amino acid structure of a protein is the main component of muscle cells. Eating glutamine, thereby reducing the degradation of muscle cells.
4 heavy breakfast for all Categories. So that the body gets the nutrients it needs to complete.

Answer 4

Use alcohol as a treat! Get out of the habit (if you have it) of drinking everyday. Using alcohol as a social treat once, maybe twice a week (don't binge) and you can safely drink a few beers without any worries. After all why are you trying to gain this muscle weight, for many it's to try and make ourselves more attractive, but if you then start cutting out social events, I'd have to question whats the point.

Answer 5

Just Add Muscle is best way to getting Muscle Building Supplements to look fantastic & most attractive.

Answer 6

Good Question! I am also curious because I occasionally drink and am interested in gaining some muscle. Anyone???

Answer 7

yes so it is a way you have to choose what you want