How harmful is alcohol for muscle building?
Alcohol, once absorbed by the body, is immediately metabolized by the liver. This requires enzymes that consume energy. This energy is no longer available to the muscles for regeneration, which is important for strength training.
However, the breakdown of alcohol not only steals the muscle’s energy for regeneration, it also prevents the replenishment of the gylcogen stores needed for training and deprives our most important metabolic organ – the liver – of its capacity for building up proteins. Although the body is supplied with high-caloric energy, the body can build this up primarily to fast energy and then to fat due to its metabolism. This not only inhibits regeneration and muscle building, but also boosts fat production.
Furthermore, alcohol inhibits the secretion of the growth hormone testosterone, which is of enormous importance for muscle building. The catabolic stress hormone cortisol, which has a catabolic effect, is increased, so that the hard-earned muscle tissue is put at additional risk. Since alcohol itself and its metabolic intermediates are toxic for the body (nerve poison), the reaction and responsiveness of the motor nerves for the following training is also limited.
Alcohol consumption and effective training are therefore highly contradictory. Even small amounts of alcohol already have this effect, so regular consumption should be avoided in any case, but the quantity makes the poison. So if a birthday toast is celebrated, the ambitious strength athlete should leave it with a small glass of sparkling wine.
Can I drink alcohol at the weekend when I’m building muscle?
It is well known that alcohol is harmful to the training effect during weight training, as it impedes the regeneration of the muscle, has a negative effect on our hormone balance and has a negative influence on the metabolism. Nevertheless, even an ambitious athlete can certainly reach for a glass of beer every now and then if he keeps a few things in mind. It is best not to drink the alcohol directly after a demanding session, but about 2 days later, when the body has already had time to regenerate.
On a training-free day, which is not followed by an intensive session, alcohol – consumed in moderation – does the least harm to training. Nevertheless, alcohol remains a poison for the body and interferes with muscle building and training success. If you are consistent in your strength training, it is better to avoid alcoholic drinks altogether.If this is not possible, at least the time of consumption should be in an appropriate interval. So if there is a big party at the weekend, perhaps the training sessions should be planned accordingly.
