Muscle building and alcohol: is alcohol bad for building muscle?

A common issue that many men find themselves pondering while trying to build muscle is whether or not drinking from time to time can be part of this equation.

So what is the answer to this? Can you really drink a weird beer and still not have trouble gaining muscle mass or should you avoid alcohol altogether when you’re on a strict weight training program?

Here are some things to consider when evaluating this problem.

Alcohol and protein synthesis

One of the biggest problems that occurs when you consume alcohol while trying to build muscle is the effect it has on protein synthesis. Since you must be able to optimally build muscle tissue through the rebuilding of individual muscle tissues, anything that disrupts protein synthesis will be less than favorable.

Drinking more than a few drinks a day will slow this process down by 20% or more, so in theory you can expect your gains to drop by 20% or more.

Alcohol and your hormones

There is no doubt that the hormones present in your body play a big role when it comes to how much muscle you can gain.

After drinking alcohol, you will not only see an increase in estrogen, which is definitely not ideal for men, but it will also cause a drop in free-flowing testosterone levels.

Since testosterone is the main anabolic hormone in the body, when it is hindered, muscle gain is also hindered.

Alcohol and Hydration

The third problem with alcohol consumption is the effects it has on hydration status. Hydration can seriously affect your ability to exercise, as well as making you feel hungrier than you should.

Because alcohol acts as a diuretic in the body, it is essential that it is only accelerating dehydration.

This factor can be overcome if you are sure to increase your water intake corresponding to the amount of alcohol you consume, but most of the time this step is not taken.

Also, the more water that flows throughout the body, the better the nutrients are delivered to the muscle tissues under repair. Since alcohol lowers the total water content in the body, this means fewer opportunities for your muscles to get the building blocks they need.

Alcohol and your body fat levels

Finally, the last problem related to alcohol consumption and muscle development is its effects on total fat mass.

While you need to consume more calories than you need to actively gain muscle tissue, too many calories and fat mass will accumulate. Because alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, it’s pretty easy to overdo it in this department when you start to see fat accumulating around your abdominal region.

So the next time you’re out on a night where you plan to consume numerous alcoholic beverages, keep these factors in mind.

If you’re not looking to compete in a professional bodybuilding competition or anything like that, an occasional drink shouldn’t be too detrimental, but if you’re looking to get maximum success from your workouts, it’s best to avoid drinking as much as you do. they can.