Alcohol & Muscle – 5 Ways Alcohol Affects Muscle Gains
Many people want to know if drinking alcohol can impact muscle growth. Well the answer is yes!
I promise this won’t be an anti alcohol speech. I’m not anti alcohol at all. I like to have drinks myself sometimes.
If you’re trying to build muscle, consuming a lot of alcohol will have a bad impact.
Here are 5 ways that alcohol abuse can slow your muscle gains…
#1 It Slows Protein Synthesis
Amino acids have to band together to form proteins. This is called protein synthesis. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can slow this process down by about 20%.
Your muscles are made mostly of protein and water, so you can see how this is a concern!
#2 It Drops Testosterone Levels
You need plenty of testosterone if you want to maximize your muscle gains!
#3 It Dehydrates You
To break down the alcohol, your kidneys must filter large quantities of water. This can cause major dehydration
Your muscles are about 70% water, so even slight dehydration is a problem.
#4 It Depletes Your Body Of Vitamins And Minerals
Excessive drinking causes vitamins A, C, B, calcium, and other minerals to be drained at fast rates.
This adversely affects many functions within your body, including repair and growth of muscle tissue.
#5 It Causes Fat Storage
Alcohol can also be fattening. For one thing, the calories contain no nutritional value. Two, alcohol disrupts your body’s Krebs Cycle. The Krebs Cycle has a role in processes that burn fat. More body fat means less visible muscle on your body.
If you want to build muscle fast, monitor your alcohol intake and drink in moderation.
Having some drinks sometimes won’t hurt too much. If you wanna get drunk every weekend, just know that it’s probably going to slow down your muscle building.
Before you start to drink, have lots of water and eat a high protein meal.
Terrence Banks has a site on how to build muscle and tips on the fastest way to build muscle.
