how does drinking alcohol effect you

zigzag

jus wondering how alcohol effects you when you are training...i dont drink beer i stricley only drink dark rum i just want some advise on how this would affect me while im trying to bulk out cheers..........

Ali M

Does not affect you at all apart from the calories that is, and as your bulking up it makes no diference at all.

Tall

hang on... I have an article on this somewhere...

Neil R

Don't think I could train while drinking!?!



Seriously though, frequent alcohol consumption has been shown to lower test levels AND increase level of aromatisation.

I only drink on very special occations....


....but then it's a nice Single Malt

Tall

I wasn't aware of the following until I read this article.

Its been copied from:

Bodybuilding Forum:: Log in

"...

Alcohols effects on fat loss and muscle gain
Calories in Beer
1 Pint of Fosters :- 193Kcal
1 Pint of Budweiser :- 227Kcal
1 Pint of Carling :- 187Kcal
1 Pint of Stella :- 256Kcal

What is alcohol?

Alcohol is a clear flammable liquid which is less dense that water and is also water soluble. The alcohol we should be interested in is called "ethyl alcohol" or ethanol. Its made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen held together by bonds.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, this is almost twice the amount protein and carbohydrates contain and only 2 fewer calories than fat. Calories in alcohol are also “empty calories� which means they lack the nutrients beneficial for a healthy metabolism and will therefore increase fat storage.

What happens when we drink alcohol?
After drinking alcohol, around 20% is absorbed into the blood stream and the remainder is taken into the blood stream through the small intestine. Alcohol is usually absorbed fairly quick, however certain factors can influence this rate of absorption including:

The amount of food in the stomach, the more food the slower the absorption
The type of drink eg champagne is absorbed more quickly than non sparkling drinks
The alcohol concentration of the drink, higher alcoholic drinks are absorbed quicker
Most of the alcohol in the blood stream gets processed in the liver where the alcohol is broken down by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH, which is contained in the liver cells). ADH then metabolizes the alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is broken down into acetate by another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase. In the final stage, the acetate is further metabolized to where it eventually exits the body as waste products carbon dioxide and water.

When blood levels of alcohol are high, the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system starts to break down a small percentage alcohol using a different set of enzymes. You might call this system the body’s way of dealing with alcohol as a toxic agent rather than a dietary source.

Remaining small percentage of alcohol is lost through sweat, urine and breathing.

What effects does alcohol have on my body?
The most important negative function of alcohol is the suppression of testosterone which is the daddy of all sex hormones. Testosterone is a great hormone for burning fat, therefore when it is reduced, fat storage is hastened. Testosterone is a very anabolic hormone which contributes to lean body mass therefore less testosterone means less muscle, and less muscle means less calories burned and a slower metabolic rate.

Another downside of alcohol is dehydration of muscle cells. Hydration of muscle cells is important when trying to increase muscle mass. Water is also a very important part of many bodily processes. Being dehydrated can seriously hinder your performance.

Alcohol also blocks the absorption of many important nutrients which are involved in muscle contraction, relaxation and growth including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and potassium. If your still not satisfied, alcohol also speeds up aromatization of androgens into estrogens, so unless you want to develop bitch tits, it might be worth ditching the booze.

Summary

Alcohol causes dehydration
Alcohol reduces testosterone levels
Alcohol increases oestrogen levels
Alcohol blocks the absorbtion of nutrients involved in muscle functions

Basically, if you’re trying to lose fat you’ve got to cut out the alcohol completely. Even small amounts lower Testosterone up to 25% which has potent effects on the metabolism and promotes fat storage.

..."

Hope that helps.

Tall

Neil - very very concisely summed up.

I would have said the same, but the bottle of 96 Rioja Gran Reserva I've just consumed has impared my cognitive ability...

zigzag

wow didnt think it was that bad i guna have to stop the drink and only drink on a saturday lol cheers for the info peeps ........

Tall

To be honest thats pretty much what I do - I keep as little alcohol in the house as possible, if we go out I'll drive so I wont drink.

But every now and again I'll enjoy a nice tipple.

Extreme

Personally when I was competing I had a blow out once a month or every 6 weeks and that would put me off for a while again. My reasons for doing it that way were;
alcohol lowers natural testosterone production
alcohol increases the chances of gyno
alcohol negatively effects protein digestion
alcohol reduces blood clotting abilities which are already reduced if using anabolics
alcohol made me think I was invisible and I'd try it on with other women and my girl usually found out

Now I don't compete I have a proper go at it every second month but I do have a bottle of beer at bedtime as part of my wind down process, followed by my bong!

Ali M

I got to say guy's i think were a bit OTT, i mean come on. What you saying have the odd drink and your going grow some bitch tits and lower your test levels... I can't see it and can only assume were talking of alchol abuse here, i.e. drinking every night.

Ive got a good mate who does weights from time to time and is always in great shape and as strong as a bull and only weighs 11.5 stone and curls 27.5 DB's.. anyway he does drink every night and drinks lots and he aint got those bitch tits you all mentioned.