Alcohol’s effect on muscle mass

[u_e_s_i]

So I’ve done some reading on alcohol’s effects on the contributing factors determining muscle mass growth and maintenance and what I’ve read is rather mixed.
So what have you guys read (links pls if possible) and/or noticed anecdotally?
Also, could you recommend any ways to limit the damage from it?


Personally, whilst I have an above average capacity for consuming alcohol, I pretty much don’t drink anymore except occasionally on some birthdays or at special events. I drink ~10 times a year. Usual consumption in an 18 hour window of drinking is 4-12 units. I drink a lot of water habitually, and more if I’m drinking alcohol and before bed if I’ve been drinking.

If I lift the day after drinking, my strength is usually 60-70% of what it normally is. Two days afterwards, maybe 80-90% of normal. It’s pretty depressing
One of the articles I read quoted a 6.8% drop in testosterone in those who drank two to three beers a day. My two recent blood tests reported an average testosterone level of 1030 for me. I noticed that on days when I should have higher testosterone for various reasons, I can typically lift better, so it would make sense if the drop in testosterone were to blame at least partly. 5x6.8=34 so 10-15 units may decrease my testosterone by 34% =577 (assuming a linear relationship between units drunk and testosterone reduction).
I haven’t gotten drunk often enough to have reliably deducted whether/how supps affect the impact of alcohol on my strength the day after or on muscle growth, however I have noticed that my usual post-heavy night out regimen usually helps me wake up feeling pretty much as good as a usual


Below are some articles I’ve found (not everything I’ve read, I only started cataloguing a few months ago and I haven’t been reading about alcohol)

Post Workout Alcohol A Bad Idea - AnabolicMinds.com

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/nutrition-health/48003-5-reasons-why.html

A Musclehead's Guide to Alcohol - AnabolicMinds.com

 

[YLB]

I’m interested in the reply’s.

 

[christ83189]

No alcohol= no worries... To each their own. But i dont find the minimal fun i used to get from drinking worth the cons- hangover, weight gain, possible liver damage, lost sleep from being out late drinking. I honestly dont see why anyone drinks. Dont get me wrong i used to drink alot and was an alcoholic so the cons are worse for me then they would be for the casual drinker. But the few times i have drank since quitting the first time i dont see any appeal in it anymore when weighing all the factors, fun had vs. hangover, effects on my gains and motivation to go to the gym, just being overall unhealthy for you. Dont see why any health minded person would even desire to go out and drink

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I’m fairly sure studies have shown occasional/moderate alcohol consumption doesn’t inhibit muscle growth and/or recovery. I wouldn’t drink a ton, or every night, but a drink or two once in a while is likely the least of your worries.

 

[BEAST73]

When I was Overweight back in 2015-2016,due to Food and Drinking Alcohol every weekend. Now I only drink vodka 3 times a month and Red Wine 5 times a month. Sometimes I will go without drinking Alcohol for months. When Drinking vodka,I do not Workout the next day..

 

[bigsmall]

I am 50 and been fighting addiction and alcoholism since I was 10 - and been sober for 2.5 years and plan on staying sober. I have lifted for over 30 years each and every week - and alcohol is wicked hard on the body and mind when one is persistently lifting to get stronger etc..and overtime it leaves its scars. Like another guy mentioned no alcohol = no problem. If I would have known what i know now - I would have stopped years ago.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

This is an interesting subject, with some results that aren't always exactly consistent, and the implications can vary on what exactly is meant by "recovery," and how long of a window/time we're talking.

Here are some studies/papers on the subject, along with one reference dealing with the alcohol content of drinks (in grams):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24748461
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink
https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2008206
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24533082
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29385007

It seems the most logical conclusion would be, of course, if you do drink, don't overdo it. I think one study recommended keeping to a dose that came out to around 3 standard drinks (see one of the references above for more information on that). Also, you really don't want to drink daily, of course, but it's unlikely that occasional (acute) moderate alcohol consumption will have any significant/practical effect on your progress in the gym. You may not want to drink if you absolutely need to have maximal recovery speed, but even that is not exactly conclusive as to what that means and the exact implications, so you'll likely have to figure that out for yourself.

 

[bell1986]

So I’ve done some reading on alcohol’s effects on the contributing factors determining muscle mass growth and maintenance and what I’ve read is rather mixed.
So what have you guys read (links pls if possible) and/or noticed anecdotally?
Also, could you recommend any ways to limit the damage from it?


Personally, whilst I have an above average capacity for consuming alcohol, I pretty much don’t drink anymore except occasionally on some birthdays or at special events. I drink ~10 times a year. Usual consumption in an 18 hour window of drinking is 4-12 units. I drink a lot of water habitually, and more if I’m drinking alcohol and before bed if I’ve been drinking.

If I lift the day after drinking, my strength is usually 60-70% of what it normally is. Two days afterwards, maybe 80-90% of normal. It’s pretty depressing
One of the articles I read quoted a 6.8% drop in testosterone in those who drank two to three beers a day. My two recent blood tests reported an average testosterone level of 1030 for me. I noticed that on days when I should have higher testosterone for various reasons, I can typically lift better, so it would make sense if the drop in testosterone were to blame at least partly. 5x6.8=34 so 10-15 units may decrease my testosterone by 34% =577 (assuming a linear relationship between units drunk and testosterone reduction).
I haven’t gotten drunk often enough to have reliably deducted whether/how supps affect the impact of alcohol on my strength the day after or on muscle growth, however I have noticed that my usual post-heavy night out regimen usually helps me wake up feeling pretty much as good as a usual


Below are some articles I’ve found (not everything I’ve read, I only started cataloguing a few months ago and I haven’t been reading about alcohol)

Post Workout Alcohol A Bad Idea - AnabolicMinds.com

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/nutrition-health/48003-5-reasons-why.html

A Musclehead's Guide to Alcohol - AnabolicMinds.com

Having had alcohol issues as recent as last year (I dont drink at all now)

With the stress of my old job i would knock back drinks near enough daily. Some were binges and some were 1 or 2... I still trained all last year in amongst all this. I still packed muscle on. I think the drop in Testosterone is minimal and rebounds very quickly. The biggest problem was cutting phases it was near enough impossible to lose fat as alxohol calories can add up so quickly that getting into a calorie deficit is a struggle.

This is what i would say alcohol could do to hinder muscle gains

1. When alcohol is consumed who eats clean? Do you go and make a bowl of oats and some protein? Hell NO! Your want the worst of foods that taste good, Lets be real.. I was no exception.

2. Hangover's... As above who eats clean when rocking a hangover? Very little. You feel you need all the fried foods just to feel a little better. Head straight for mcdonalds... Done it manyyyy a times lol Also to add in here is it impacts your training so much even for a day or 2 after the hangover. Lifting feels sluggish and everything feels heavier than usual.

3. Calories.. People knock back alcohol and feel like its water thier intaking. at 7 calories a gram it can add up very quickly. Our body's cant store alcohol directly as fat but if thier are other carbs and fats floating around your system.. Guess where thier going? The good ol midsection

4. Hydration. You know that feeling when you wake up and it feels like your eyelids are glue'd shut? Yes weve all had it! Alcohol is a very potent diuretic and also your liver NEEDS water to flush out the alcohol build up and it will take that water from anywhere. Including the brain ie the classic headache the day after. To add to this also is our bodys see alcohol as a poison and this is how the liver treats it also. Most other functions are slowed up or halted to allow our bodys to flush out this *poison* so in turn slows muscle repair.


Just a few pointers thier. Hope it helps. Alcohol in moderation is completely fine. If your binge drinking then you need to re-think your situation. As i mentioned above i had a very bad alcohol problem last year and man that stuffs very hard to kick the habit but once you do you just will sit one day and think.. I feel so good these days.. Clearer minded and if your diets in check and training is optimal your full fitness side will be in top peak.

I dont drink at all now.. I feel anti social at times but for me personally i am a better person and the urge eventually goes and you find other ways to fill those blanks in your life.

If your gonna consume alcohol i would recommend these

1. Keep your self hydrated. After every drink try and consume a glass a water. Yes you will be peeing like a race horse but your body will feel less beaten up the days following.

2. Limit how much your gonna consume and also try stick to spirits + a diet beverage (Ie coke zero etc).

3. This is up to you... N-Acetyl Cysteine. Awesome addition for liver health. Try adding a gram of NAC to your daily routine to keep your organs in good shape. Its a cheap supplement and very effective.

4. Enjoy yourself

Dont over complicate things with the testosterone studies.. Thier are a ton of factors that can increase/decrease testosterone and it has been shown that a small drop in testosterone has very little impact on muscle growth. Its completey different if your using anabolics over being natty. Thats a major difference in Test levels.

Thanks

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Having had alcohol issues as recent as last year (I dont drink at all now)

With the stress of my old job i would knock back drinks near enough daily. Some were binges and some were 1 or 2... I still trained all last year in amongst all this. I still packed muscle on. I think the drop in Testosterone is minimal and rebounds very quickly. The biggest problem was cutting phases it was near enough impossible to lose fat as alxohol calories can add up so quickly that getting into a calorie deficit is a struggle.

This is what i would say alcohol could do to hinder muscle gains

1. When alcohol is consumed who eats clean? Do you go and make a bowl of oats and some protein? Hell NO! Your want the worst of foods that taste good, Lets be real.. I was no exception.

2. Hangover's... As above who eats clean when rocking a hangover? Very little. You feel you need all the fried foods just to feel a little better. Head straight for mcdonalds... Done it manyyyy a times lol Also to add in here is it impacts your training so much even for a day or 2 after the hangover. Lifting feels sluggish and everything feels heavier than usual.

3. Calories.. People knock back alcohol and feel like its water thier intaking. at 7 calories a gram it can add up very quickly. Our body's cant store alcohol directly as fat but if thier are other carbs and fats floating around your system.. Guess where thier going? The good ol midsection

4. Hydration. You know that feeling when you wake up and it feels like your eyelids are glue'd shut? Yes weve all had it! Alcohol is a very potent diuretic and also your liver NEEDS water to flush out the alcohol build up and it will take that water from anywhere. Including the brain ie the classic headache the day after. To add to this also is our bodys see alcohol as a poison and this is how the liver treats it also. Most other functions are slowed up or halted to allow our bodys to flush out this *poison* so in turn slows muscle repair.


Just a few pointers thier. Hope it helps. Alcohol in moderation is completely fine. If your binge drinking then you need to re-think your situation. As i mentioned above i had a very bad alcohol problem last year and man that stuffs very hard to kick the habit but once you do you just will sit one day and think.. I feel so good these days.. Clearer minded and if your diets in check and training is optimal your full fitness side will be in top peak.

I dont drink at all now.. I feel anti social at times but for me personally i am a better person and the urge eventually goes and you find other ways to fill those blanks in your life.

If your gonna consume alcohol i would recommend these

1. Keep your self hydrated. After every drink try and consume a glass a water. Yes you will be peeing like a race horse but your body will feel less beaten up the days following.

2. Limit how much your gonna consume and also try stick to spirits + a diet beverage (Ie coke zero etc).

3. This is up to you... N-Acetyl Cysteine. Awesome addition for liver health. Try adding a gram of NAC to your daily routine to keep your organs in good shape. Its a cheap supplement and very effective.

4. Enjoy yourself

Dont over complicate things with the testosterone studies.. Thier are a ton of factors that can increase/decrease testosterone and it has been shown that a small drop in testosterone has very little impact on muscle growth. Its completey different if your using anabolics over being natty. Thats a major difference in Test levels.

Thanks

If you’re using NAC, be sure to use it before drinking, not after. Pre-treatment can help reduce alcohol-induced liver damage, while post-administration can aggravate it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16439183/

 

[bell1986]

If you’re using NAC, be sure to use it before drinking, not after. Pre-treatment can help reduce alcohol-induced liver damage, while post-administration can aggravate it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16439183/

Yeh i mind reading up about this. Thanks

Cheap supplement aswell with a ton of benefits to

 

[bonbon]

Alcohol f's up my sleep. 2 beers is still fine but no more than that. I don't drink much, at 38yrs I have horrible hangovers too, so not worth it.