Does alcohol prevent muscle gain?

MalcolmX

Well-Known Member
4 Jul 2011
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I would say alcohol restrain your muscle gains. Modest use of alcohol has been shown to decrease the hazard of cardiovascular disease, but extreme alcohol intake can injure your liver and heart and impede your body’s capacity to mend and build muscle tissue.
 

Mercury

Active Member
5 Jun 2011
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Singapore
Alcohol interferes with sugar metabolism in the liver, so it interrupts glycogen synthesis, which is critical for optimal recovery after exercise.

Remember that alcohol is a diuretic agent (promotes water loss), so it can promote dehydration and thus may impair heat tolerance and temperature regulation. Alcohol tolerance, drinking experience, environmental temperature and hydration level can affect the body's response to alcohol at rest and during exercise.

My advise is that hardcore athletes or people who wants to keep their abs, minimize their alcohol consumption. It promotes fat deposition, which means bye bye 6 pack.
 

sinful

Global Moderator
Staff member
1 Jun 2011
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Singapore
gymkaki.com
some snippets i read from a health source:

Alcohol reduces muscle protein synthesis, causes insulin-resistance and interferes with the release of growth hormones following exercise.

If you're serious about making gains in strength and mass, then maybe you should abstain from alcohol, especially immediately before bed and after exercise. This precaution is especially important if you are below 20 years of age, when growth hormone release is most necessary for normal growth and development. In any case, moderation is always the best policy.
cheers