Fitness series on vices #1: What effect does alcohol have on weight training?

Alcohol and the gym is a topic that would undoubtedly be enough for several articles. Although you can find many similar treatises on the Internet, we would like to treat this topic independently and comprehensively, so that it is really beneficial for you.

So, whether drinking alcohol is a regular Friday affair for you, or whether it is ayou only come into contact with it once a year at most, it's always good to know how it affects your body. So let's take a look at the negatives and positives of occasional alcohol drinking, its effect on the quality of training and recovery as a whole.

What are the negatives of alcohol in terms of gaining muscle mass?

First of all, it would be good to mention some of the negatives of alcohol. Among the most important ones in terms of overall health and muscle mass gain are the effects on hormone production, impaired absorption of minerals and vitamins, dehydration and impaired recovery.

So let's elaborate on these points in a little more detail.

1. Affects hormone production in the body

As some studies have shown scientific studies have shown, drinking alcohol lowers levels of the anabolic hormone testosterone and increases levels of the catabolic hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This effect, according to many findings, was even stronger if the subjects underwent heavy training before drinking alcohol.

So the clear conclusion is - if you're going to drink alcohol on a given day, you'd better take the day off.

2. It impairs recovery

One of the worst effects of alcohol is negatively affecting recovery. This is due to the fact that the body primarily tries to remove toxic alcohol from the body, and thusit stops all other processes, such as the regeneration of damaged muscle fibres.

This is again related to the fact that it is not advisable to exercise on a day when you are going to drink alcohol.

3. It impairs the absorption of certain minerals and vitamins

Drinking alcohol in large quantities is dangerous because it impairs the absorption ofabsorption of certain vitamins - specifically B vitamins and ascorbic acid. This is because the liver is busy converting ethanol into acetateand therefore do not have time to use the vitamins mentioned above. Another disadvantage is that with increased urination, ourour body some necessary minerals, especially calcium and magnesium.

4. It causes dehydration

You have probably heard that alcohol causes dehydration. But there are several mechanisms by which it does this.

The most well-known way is through blocking antidiuretic hormones, which cannot quenchbecause alcohol can't affect the kidneys and they produce more urine. This effect is much stronger with "hard" alcohol because you take in a very small volume of water compared to beer or wine. Water in the body creates the environment necessary for the digestion of macronutrients, the action of anabolic hormones and proper regeneration, and it is therefore advisable to replenish it.

What are the positives of alcohol in terms of gaining muscle mass?

After reading the first part of this article, don't get the impression that alcohol is a completem killer of all efforts, it is necessary to point out that it also has its positives. The most important ones will be presented in the following lines.

It does not contain acids or any other harmful substances

Although it may seem biased to some of you, in comparisoncompared to drinks like Coca Cola, which you can read about on our website full article, beer does not contain any harmful substances - not even phosphoric acid, which some believe can according to some studies can cause bone thinning.

It contains trace elements

I'm sure you've heard that "beer is a great ionic drink because it contains lots of B vitamins". Actually, it's not so warm with the content of these vitamins, not to mention that supplementing vitamins with alcohol is about the same as practicing shoulder presses to build massive thighs.

But it is worth mentioning the trace element content, especially magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc.

It can improve insulin sensitivity

Although it may sound a bit unrealistic, some scientific studies have indeed confirmed that alcohol in small amounts can improve insulin sensitivity. It is insulin sensitivity that plays a key role in weight loss, as more sensitive people only needto process large amounts of carbohydrate, only a smaller amount of insulin released.

Doesn't alcohol affect some supplements?

As we'll take a closer look at in the next paragraph, alcohol can also negatively affect the usability of some supplements.

Creatine and alcohol

As we mentioned in our test of quality creatines, this supplement is really inappropriate to combine with alcohol. This is mainly due to the fact that while creatine serves to stretch a certainIt is important to note that while creatine is used to release a certain amount of water into the body, alcohol is diuretic and therefore impairs the effect of this supplement. For the same reason, it is a good idea to avoid coffee.

BCAAs and alcohol

On the other hand, when it comes to branched-chain amino acids, you can rest assured that they are not affected by alcohol. It is important to note, however, that a certain amount of alcohol canfrom a certain amount of alcohol, proteosynthesis can be disturbed and therefore the absorption of BCAAs can be impaired.

Gainer and alcohol

In terms of availability, gainer and alcohol are not in competition with each other. However, the problem is that alcohol is highly caloric and therefore it is not suitable to combine it with a high-calorie supplement such as a gainer. A much better option is , for example, a high quality protein.

How much alcohol can I drink?

Most professional articles agree that men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week, with a litre of beer at 6% alcohol containing 6 units of alcohol. However, this applies to non-exercising men.

For us exercisers, the basic criteria should be body weight and alcohol tolerance. It is clear that a 120 kg athlete will be able to tolerate more alcohol than a 60 kg one. Better than giving a formula for calculating the optimum amount of alcohol of alcohol intake would be to say that it's right to drink according to your actual feelings.

If you have a beer or two with friends in the evening, it probably won't interfere with your training tomorrow. If you won't be able to walk home after a night out, you're probably better off avoiding the gym for the next few days.

When is the right time to drink alcohol?

While we're trying to talk about alcohol as comprehensively as possible, it would be a good idea to also say when is a good time to drink it.

Can I drink alcohol before training?

Alcohol before training is definitely not a good idea as it has a dehydrating effecteffects we mentioned above and also affects concentration in a negative way. But in addition to that, you also get the blood flowing more throughout your body when you exercise, so even one beer could mess with you.

Can I drink alcohol after a workout?

It's not a very good idea to drink alcohol after a workout either. This is because during this period, muscle regeneration and therefore muscle growth is suspended. Not to mention the fact that you will take in relatively high amounts of simple sugars and calories, which you should rather take in from fruit or maltodextrin after training.

Can I drink alcohol in the evening?

Let's face it, the evening is the best time to drink alcohol. The only problem is that if you drink a relatively high amount of fluids, your kidneys will be working all night and therefore muscle recovery will not be as profound. If you indulge in a beer from time to time, it won't make things significantly worse, but it's good to be cautious when drinking regularly.

So what is the conclusion?

The conclusion of this article would be to arrive at some sort of mutually acceptable solution. Only there isn't one in this situation.

Either you want to be a good sport, and then invest most of your income in supplements, season tickets to the gym, or possibly or you try to take shortcuts and never achieve any major success.

If you're trying to maximize muscle gain, streamline fat burning, or increase strength, you have to be willing to give up alcohol. On the other hand, you don't need to avoid alcohol altogether if it's offered to you once in a while at an important social event.

More episodes from the Fitness Vices series:

• Fitness Vices Series #1: What effect does alcohol have on exercise?
• Fitness Vices Series #2: How Does Marijuana Affect Exercise?
• Fitness Vices #3: What effect does smoking have on exercise?
• Fitness Vices Series #4: What are the pros and cons of anabolic steroids?
• Fitness series on vices #5: To what extent is drinking coffee beneficial?
• Fitness series on vices #6: Why is an uncontrolled cheat day a fast track to the bottom?
• Fitness series on vices #7: What is the effect of energy drinks on health?
• Fitness series on vices #8: Can fat burners really help with weight loss?