Alcohol consumed during a muscle-building phase or when improving overall exercise performance is a topic that keeps coming back like a boomerang from time to time.
Does alcohol, which we occasionally reach for, do harm? Can its excess lead to limited results? Should it be completely avoided when we want to increase our muscle mass? There are many myths, ambiguities and exaggerated statements that are worth discussing.
Alcohol
The fact is that alcohol (ethyl alcohol) is an extremely popular drink, especially when the opportunity to meet friends or a weekend spree arises. Professional athletes and people who train, wanting, for example, to improve their physique or physical performance, avoid this intoxicant for fear of limiting progress.
Let us start with the fact that ethyl alcohol is absorbed very quickly, 80% of which occurs in the small intestine, and the remaining 20% in the stomach. In addition, when alcohol enters the body, it is automatically given priority in terms of metabolism.
You have certainly heard more than once that at a boozy party you should eat something so that alcoholic drinks are better tolerated, or so that you do not end the fun prematurely, right? However, there are drawbacks to such action... When consuming snacks with alcoholic drinks, they are treated as secondary, and therefore will be stored as body fat and glycogen. It makes no difference whether it is fast food or healthy products. Nevertheless, alcohol itself is converted to stored fat to a small extent.
As an interesting aside, it is said that alcohol does not give courage, but simply allows you not to think about the consequences. In fact, studies confirm that it affects the cerebral cortex after crossing the blood-brain barrier. In addition, it disrupts motor coordination due to its effect on the cerebellum.
Alcohol and sport
As you know, maintaining a balance between antioxidant and pro-oxidant processes is extremely important for health. It is also important in sport - not without reason is the role of antioxidants often emphasized in the context of physical fitness. The liver handles alcohol metabolism, and one of the products is acetaldehyde, which is converted into acetate. The body gives priority to getting rid of the compound that is harmful to it, or, more precisely, toxic.
Glutathione (GSH), which plays the role of the strongest natural antioxidant, so valued by physically active people, is necessary for this conversion. As a result, the amount of the available compound decreases and the training and development potential is limited.
You are certainly also aware of the role of hydration in sport. It is not only efficient thermoregulation, but also the course of a whole multitude of biochemical and physiological reactions, nutrient transport, metabolism, and maintenance of acid-base balance.
Alcohol, in turn, has a dehydrating effect, acting suppressively on vasopressin. In circumstances of alcohol consumption, without proper hydration, we draw water from various tissues, reducing the resources that could be used for other important processes. And what about muscle mass and physical performance? Studies confirm that consuming larger amounts of alcohol significantly limits protein synthesis, including muscle protein synthesis. It also negatively affects the rate of muscle glycogen synthesis.
The speed and quality of regenerative processes are also reduced. This, in turn, as you know, is a key element of shaping the physique and improving exercise performance. Without proper recovery, it is impossible to achieve the desired results. There are indications that alcohol consumption may be associated with poorer sleep quality, and thus also with psycho-physical recovery.
Scientists have presented the role of alcoholic drinks in the context of building muscle mass and training results quite clearly. This is especially visible in the case of extreme, intense exercise sessions. It was also emphasized that it raises cortisol levels (a stress hormone with a catabolic effect) after exercise, although it should be noted that the amount of the hormone increased slightly.
When it comes to intense training, the negative effect of high alcohol consumption was most visible during exercises aimed at improving endurance performance. People engaged in this type of discipline should be especially careful. Protein synthesis was significantly reduced mainly in fast-twitch type II muscle fibers.
What should you know about the negative effects of alcohol?
- worsens sleep quality and makes it harder to wake up properly in the morning,
- worsens psycho-physical recovery,
- indirectly promotes fat storage,
- promotes inflammation,
- disrupts bacterial flora of the intestines,
- worsens brain function and condition,
- reduces protein synthesis (including muscle protein synthesis),
- makes iron absorption more difficult,
- has a dehydrating effect,
- reduces the availability of antioxidant glutathione,
- reduces the availability of magnesium.
If you already drink alcohol, remember that:
- proper hydration is key,
- replenishing electrolytes is important,
- milk thistle supports the condition and function of the liver,
- NAC supplementation promotes increased glutathione levels and reduces alcohol toxicity,
- supplementation with magnesium and B vitamins may be beneficial.
