What is the relationship between alcohol and muscle growth
3 min readA lot of people think that alcohol enhances muscle growth, but this is wrong. It hurts muscle growth especially when it is taken in large quantity and here is why:
Alcohol affects protein synthesis
Protein synthesis is the process in which your body turns protein into muscle. It usually takes place when there are micro-tears in the muscles and these micro-tears are repaired and grow into bigger ones. however, research shows that alcohol inhibits protein synthesis, which in turn, terminates muscle growth.
Alcohol affects your testosterone
Your testosterone is a steroid hormone that enhances muscle growth and strength and bone density. It is highly needed for muscle growth as steroids are very important. However, alcohol reduces the testosterone levels in your body. It also raises estrogen levels which does not enhance muscle growth as well.
Alcohol affects your growth hormone
The growth hormone helps to enhance the protein synthesis and you need this hormone in large quantities if you want stronger and bigger muscles. The growth hormone is released in large quantities when you are asleep but with alcohol, it is suppressed. You cannit be friends with the booze and be looking to grow your muscles as well. You need to give up on one to enjoy the other.
If you are passionate about growing your muscles instead, here are some healthier things you can do instead:
Consume a lot of macronutrients
Macronutrients like carbohydrates and proteins are essential for building muscles. They are converted into energy in your body. Carbohydrates help you maintain your physical energy while proteins help you build and repair your muscle. The more your muscles are rebuilt, the stronger and bigger they grow.
Eat more and eat at the right time
You cant grow your muscles if you are missing out on your meals. You need to eat more frequently. You need to consume the number of calories that are needed to enhance your muscle growth and that is determined by your body weight and how intensive your workout is. For a better idea, consult a dietitian. Besides, do yourself a favour by eating at the right time. Eating at the wrong time will not augur well for your body.
Change your workout routine and get enough sleep
The body can adapt to any physical activity you do repeatedly for some time, thanks to muscle memory. However, this reduces stress and does not enhance muscle growth. For muscles to grow, they have to be stressed. As such, you need to add new challenges to your routine so that you achieve your goal. Also, get enough sleep. Sleep helps your body to recover quickly from the stress you generate from your strength training. If you are not getting sufficient sleep, your body won’t have time to recover and grow muscle. To aid your workout routine, you could read fitness companies’ reviews to know the products and gear that you could get for better results.
Finally, you have to remember that the more efforts you put in, the more exponential the results. Don’t be lazy with your routine. Stay away from alcohol and work harder instead, you will get the muscles you seek. Considering how difficult it could be to complete stay away from alcohol, you might want a compromise where you drink alcohol occasionally or in moderate quantity. This will help to reduce its negative effect on your muscle growth. You should also consider opting for health beers. You should read Beer52 review as well as reviews of other beers to know which beers are healthy and which ones will have the least negative effect on your health.