Why Alcohol And Muscle Growth Don't Go Together

Drinking alcohol is accepted socially, which often leads most bodybuilders to believe that it does not make a big difference to their efforts for building a solid physique. However, the reality is that too much alcohol has a substantially negative effect on the results you achieve from muscle building exercises.

Alcohol is more harmful than is usually perceived by most people. Despite social acceptance, alcohol is still what it actually is- an addictive substance.

Alcohol And Muscle Building

If you are serious about muscle building, you must know how alcohol affects your body and the harm it is capable of causing. Here are some of the top reasons why alcohol and muscle growth don't go together:

• The process of muscle building is closely associated with protein synthesis. It is a process where amino acids combine to form proteins. Too much alcohol slows this process by more than 20%. Since muscles are made of protein, a part of what you gain during a workout is lost after drinking alcohol.

• The amount of muscle you can build depends on free flowing testosterone in the body because it is most crucial hormone for building a strong physique. Alcohol lowers the levels of testosterone, and at the same time, increases the level of estrogen, which is the hormone responsible for typical female characteristics.

• Alcohol is difficult to break down, and the kidneys need to filter too much water for it. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to severe dehydration or depletion of body fluids. Lack of water in the body can greatly harm your muscle building efforts. It may surprise you to know that almost 70% of muscle is nothing but water.

• Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients. Although present in very small quantities, they play a significant role in every small process that goes on in the body, including those involved in muscle growth and maintenance. Alcohol consumption uses up these vitamins and minerals.

• Another major problem caused by excessive alcohol consumption relates to calorie intake. Muscle building and fat loss go side by side, and a serious bodybuilder is required to create a healthy calorie deficit. Alcohol has 7 empty calories per gram.

In addition, alcohol also has a negative impact on fat burning as it interferes with the Kreb's cycle, which is the third step in carbohydrate catabolism or breakdown of sugars. The end result is that alcohol undoes whatever you achieve physically by increasing fat storage.

The only good thing about alcohol is that it is a great stimulant when consumed in moderation. The sad part is that it is often difficult to resist drinking when you are among friends. It is okay to enjoy and have fun with friends and family.

However, you need to be very careful about how much you drink. While you need not always be thinking about your fitness program, you need to strike a balance between your social life and the goal that you have set for yourself.