Drinking a large amount of alcohol on the weekend
🥃 Drinking alcohol frequently harms muscle recovery after your workout. Why? Alcoholic beverages can interfere with the production of certain hormones, including GH (growth hormone) and testosterone, which are important for building muscle.
Cortisol production
Alcohol also increases cortisol production, which speeds up the catabolic process—the metabolic phase in which the body starts using its own reserves. During this process, you lose lean muscle mass and your physical performance declines.
Women are more sensitive to alcohol because of the amount of water in their bodies. Men have about 55% to 65% water in their bodies. For women, this figure drops to 45% to 55%.
Hydration
Since water is important for diluting alcohol, men are more resistant to its effects. But this is only a concern for those who want to drink excessive amounts of alcohol!!!
The relationship between alcohol and muscle growth is only negative when you overindulge and do so several days a week.
In these cases, it’s not just your muscle growth that suffers—your health does, too. So keep these tips in mind and remember that moderation and balance are the best way to go!
How to get results without giving up alcoholic beverages
Drinking alcohol frequently harms muscle recovery after your workout. Why? Alcohol can interfere with the production of certain hormones, including GH (growth hormone) and testosterone, which are important for building muscle.
Alcohol also increases cortisol production, which speeds up the catabolic process—the metabolic phase in which the body starts using its own reserves. During this process, you lose lean muscle mass and your physical performance declines.
The key is to find a middle ground and keep everything in balance.
The relationship between alcohol and muscle growth is only negative when you overindulge and do so several days a week. In these cases, it’s not just your muscle growth that suffers—your health does, too. So keep these tips in mind and remember that moderation and balance are the best way to go!
