Alcohol & Gaining Muscle - The Top 5 Ways That Alcohol Can Affect Muscle Growth
Many people wonder if drinking alcohol can affect muscle growth. Well the answer is yes!
This will not be a speech against alcohol. I’m definitely not against alcohol. I like to have drinks myself sometimes.
If you’re on a muscle building program, consuming too much alcohol will have a bad impact.
Here are 5 ways that drinking alcohol can slow your muscle gains…
#1 It Slows Protein Synthesis
Amino acids have to band together to form proteins. This is protein synthesis. Heavy drinking can slow this process down as much as 20%.
Water and protein are the materials of your muscle, so you see how this is a problem!
#2 It Drops Your Testosterone Levels
If you want to gain muscle, testosterone is your best friend!
#3 It Dehydrates You
To break down the alcohol, your kidneys must filter a lot 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 negatively impacts a lot of functions within your body, including processes that help repair and grow muscle tissue.
#5 It Causes Fat Storage
Alcohol can also be fattening. For one, the calories contain no value nutritionally. Two, alcohol disrupts the Krebs Cycle. The Krebs Cycle has a role in processes that burn fat. Body fat will cover up muscles you worked hard to build.
If you want to build muscle fast, monitor your alcohol intake and drink in moderation.
Drinking alcohol sometimes won’t stop you from building muscle. 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.
