Don’t Drink and Train
March 31, 2009
Many new bodybuilding enthusiasts realize that they have to give up certain things and change their lifestyles if they are to become serious about building muscles. One question that many want to know is if they have to give up alcohol. They want to know if alcohol really does hinder their body’s ability to build muscle. The answer is yes. Alcohol is more than a drink; it is a drug. And this drug has many adverse affects on one’s ability to gain and maintain muscle mass. This article discusses the five major ways that alcohol can hurt your bodybuilding progress.
First, alcohol hinders protein synthesis. Protein synthesis occurs when the amino acids found in protein join together to make a complete protein. Drinking alcohol slows down the process of protein synthesis by about 20%. This presents a problem because your muscles are comprised of protein.
Second, alcohol consumption decreases testosterone in the body and increases estrogen. Testosterone, found in both men and women, is the key hormone that the body produces to build muscle. The amount of testosterone a person has in their body determines how much muscle they can gain. And since women have considerably lower levels of testosterone than men do, they are already at a disadvantage.
Third, alcohol makes you dehydrated. When a person consumes alcohol, the kidneys have to work overtime to filter water throughout the body to break down the alcohol. Water is very important to building muscles since muscles are made up of 70% water. If your body is dehydrated it does not have enough water in it to build muscle.
Fourth, alcohol causes the body to lose vitamins and minerals. When you drink alcohol you lose vital muscle building vitamins and minerals such as A, C, the B’s, calcium, zinc, and phosphorus. These vitamins and minerals are needed by your body to help it function properly. Many of these vitamins and minerals are used to sustain muscle growth and maintenance.
And the last major problem that alcohol causes is that it increases the amount of fat that the body stores. Alcohol is actually sugar and gets stored in the body as sugar which is then converted into fat if unused. Alcohol also interrupts the Kreb’s Cycle which is responsible for burning fat.
If you are serious about bodybuilding, you should refrain from drinking alcohol. If you do decide to drink, it is important that you stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. In addition, you should also eat a meal that is high in protein, vitamins and minerals.
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