The effect of alcohol on the silhouette. Does alcohol consumption reduce testosterone secretion?
The most popular stimulants, consumed on different occasions and have a wide variety of flavours, which are consumed to celebrate family reunions and meetings with friends and which has always been the companion of humanity. However, it has an effect on health and shape. Let's talk about alcohol. Does it also affect training results?
Returning to the analysis from the beginning, we show that moderation in drinking can be healthy (provided that it is reasonable and the drink is chosen correctly). On the other hand, its excess increases damage to internal organs, the appearance of serious diseases and the accumulation of excess fatty tissue.
Calorie value of alcohol
Whiskey (250 calories per 100 grams) is ranked best, behind pure vodka with 220 calories for the same amount, followed by beer (67 calories), white wine (66 calories) and red wine (60 calories). Wine and beer also provide vitamins and minerals.
The conditions under which alcohol is consumed are very important, that is, in terms of quantity, consumption or absence of food while consuming alcohol, accompanying high-calorie drinks, etc. Alcohol consumption is rarely limited to drinking one glass of pure vodka. Therefore the analysis should be done as a whole, taking into account the context of the situation and calories from other sources accompanying alcohol.
The effect of alcohol on the training program
Extensive research investigated the effect of alcohol after intense training and before training. In the first case it was a fairly high dose, 1.5 g per 1 kg of body weight, while in the second case two different types were considered, training under the influence of alcohol and exercising 13 hours after its consumption, i.e. in the stage where the effects of the “hangover” appear .
The results showed an effect on testosterone levels in men and a significantly less impact on testosterone levels in women.
Therefore, the effect of alcohol related to training varies by gender and it is highly recommended to separate these two pleasures over time. However, it should be noted that accidental and accidental consumption of alcohol is not clearly contraindicated during the training program.
Muscle mass and alcohol
Unfortunately, research on protein synthesis related to alcohol consumption is very rare. However, it is clear from experiments with mice that muscle protein anabolism decreases upon contact with consumed alcohol. Simply put, alcohol reduces the rate of muscle growth.
It is difficult to assess the magnitude of the phenomenon and correlate it with weight, sex, age and alcohol consumption and correlate it directly and quantitatively with a decrease or maintenance of muscle growth, because the studies are in rats and not in humans. However, the fact that this effect exists is still indisputable.
Alcohol and testosterone
Since muscle mass is analyzed, the hormonal system cannot be overlooked. It turns out that alcohol also has a huge effect there. Research conducted, this time on men, has shown that in the case of women, alcohol does not have a particularly strong effect on testosterone levels, and there is even an increase in this rate in many subjects. Unfortunately, in the case of men, the results point in a different direction.
In men who consumed 40 grams of alcohol throughout the day, a relatively low dose, the drop in testosterone levels was small (about 6.8%). Increasing the alcohol dose to 1.5 grams per 1 kg of body mass (which gives about 128 grams for a man weighing 85 kg) resulted in a 23% decrease in testosterone levels. It is easy to imagine the extent of this phenomenon in the case of regular consumption of large amounts of alcoholic beverages.
The effect of alcohol on the other hormones adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol was also examined. The level of the mentioned hormones was also checked in men after training. The analyzes showed that there was no difference between men who exercised after drinking alcohol and those who exercised moderately.
As a result, it can be considered that consuming small amounts of alcohol on an ad hoc and casual basis does not present any problem and does not affect hormone levels, including testosterone levels. On the other hand, regular consumption will definitely help reduce its secretion.
Alcohol and electrolytes
This is another aspect that needs to be addressed. It is no secret that alcohol consumption increases urine excretion and causes dehydration. This leads to a significant loss of electrolytes. Since this situation relates to both exercises performed "under the influence" and training in the phase when the body has not regained its shape, it is advisable to wait until after the party before starting to sweat again in bodybuilding.
The effect of alcohol on adipose tissue
Alcohol is oxidized to acetic acid and enters the blood. A small amount of alcohol is released in sweat, breath and urine, and in principle it is released into the body. This is how digestion begins and alcohol becomes the most important nutrient the body uses for energy. In the process of digestion other energy sources (proteins and fats) are marginalized. The majority of alcohol is metabolized and about 5% converted to adipose tissue. Therefore, although it is considered a relatively high-calorie food, it is a rather diabolical enemy.
So much for the numbers. However, it must also be remembered that alcohol consumption is often accompanied by an increase in food consumption, which is influenced by the nature of the conditions in which alcohol is consumed (at parties, often at meals) and the fact that alcohol, in liquid form, has a weak ability to suppress appetite .
Here again, the studies that have been done have shown a difference between the sexes. A small amount of alcohol sometimes consumed protects women from obesity. Excessive consumption will lead to the opposite effect. At the same time, alcohol abuse in women increases the risk of developing myopathy, a degenerative disease that affects the muscles.
Men who drink more than one beer a day are more likely to develop abdominal obesity.
Choosing foods used with alcohol is not without importance in increasing fatty tissue. This trend was observed in the case of alcoholics, in which the liquor card replaced many high-calorie foods. Therefore, we notice a significant decrease in her weight and adipose tissue. However, given the balance between gain and loss, it is clear that alcohol consumption should not be considered a form of diet.
Alcohol and diet during the training program
Reasonably low and moderate alcohol consumption generally does not affect the overall diet. However, it should be noted that it is not necessarily well suited to the training diet, since the intake of protein, fats and carbohydrates is lower, and the supply of building material tissues is reduced.
Also, alcohol plays a role here because the stability of body mass is linked to appetite. The study conducted showed that the people who ate the most important meals were those who drank alcohol before eating, not those who drank non-alcoholic beverages. Previously, the feeling of satiety appeared later.
On occasional occasions, this is certainly unimportant, if alcohol consumption is frequent, it is clear that the results of the study will indicate weight gain with simultaneous depletion of nutrients.
It's all about self control
In principle, we should not demonize alcohol and limit ourselves to the role of the first enemy in training. But only on condition that you show restraint and wisdom. Regardless of the numbers and statistics, it is good to remember that even after a night's sleep, the feeling of well-being after drinking alcohol is greatly diminished and certainly does not have a good effect on the program.