You’re probably familiar with the viewpoint (or at least should have an inkling about it) that alcohol and bodybuilding are incompatible, and that consuming beer negatively affects muscle mass growth.
Considering the bad reputation of alcoholic beverages, this statement seems quite logical.
However.
Not everything is that bad.
Although, undoubtedly, it is not very cheerful for ardent fans of beer and other alcoholic drinks.
Below, we will look at the scientific perspective on how compatible protein and alcohol really are in bodybuilding and how the consumption of beer and other alcoholic beverages affects muscle mass gain.
Main thoughts:
Large doses of alcohol significantly suppress testosterone levels for more than a day
Prelude
To answer the question of the benefits/harms of alcohol and beer in particular for muscle mass gain, it is necessary to first understand how to evaluate this.
There are several indicators that can be measured to assess the effectiveness of something for mass gain:
rate of muscle protein synthesis
When we train, muscle fibers are damaged, sending numerous signals to the body. Over the next one or two days, muscle cells recover and become stronger and larger.
The rate of muscle protein synthesis directly influences muscle mass growth.
testosterone levels
Another important criterion is the level of the anatomical hormone testosterone in the blood. The higher it is, the more favorable the conditions for muscle mass gain.
That is why in sports and bodybuilding, various manipulations are attempted (taking anabolic steroids or testosterone boosters).
sports performance or effectiveness
This parameter is the least favored by scientists, as it is very difficult to measure accurately.
Thus, to understand whether beer and alcohol are beneficial or harmful in bodybuilding, it is necessary to figure out how their consumption affects muscle protein synthesis (suppressing or enhancing), testosterone levels (increasing or decreasing), as well as sports performance.
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The effect of alcohol on muscles and body composition
1 Alcohol destroys muscles
Regular alcohol consumption leads to pathological changes in many organs, including muscles, which manifests as muscle destruction and decreased muscle strength.
This occurs due to the disruption of the muscle protein synthesis mechanism 11.
Scientists have shown that the consumption of 70 g of alcohol reduces the rate of protein creation in the liver by about 30% 1. Alcohol also decreases muscle strength and reaction speed 10 and DOES NOT affect recovery speed after training 9, as is commonly believed.
In a study of 250 chronic alcoholics, a significant decrease in muscle mass was found in half of them, as well as a whole range of other chronic diseases 12.
Can muscle destruction be avoided if more protein is consumed along with alcohol?
Yes, it can.
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2 Protein with alcohol prevents muscle destruction
In a recent study, scientists aimed to determine how the consumption of alcohol with protein affects the rate of muscle protein synthesis 13.
Eight athletes consumed one of three drinks after a heavy combined workout:
- whey protein (500 ml, 25 g of protein);
- a large dose of alcohol (1.5 g/kg, approximately 7 bottles of beer) with protein;
- alcohol with carbohydrates (25 g maltodextrin).
Result: when beer (alcohol) is consumed after training WITHOUT protein, muscle protein synthesis is suppressed by 40% compared to when whey protein is used as a post-workout drink.
If protein is consumed along with alcohol, the degree of suppression decreases by 15%!
Thus, it can be concluded that consuming protein along with alcohol mitigates its destructive effect on muscles.
However, in any case, the presence of alcohol in the blood inhibits muscle protein synthesis.
Regular alcohol consumption leads to muscle breakdown, as the mechanism of muscle protein synthesis is disrupted; additional protein intake can smooth out the negative effects of alcohol
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3 Alcohol and Testosterone
Testosterone is the most important male sex hormone; the more of it in the body, the easier and faster muscle mass is gained.
Does alcohol affect testosterone levels in the body?
Yes. But the dose and frequency of consumption matter.
- Occasional consumption in small doses
Studies have shown no change in testosterone levels with moderate doses (0.8-1 g/kg) consumed by strength athletes 2 and rugby players (1 g/kg) 3.
In both examples, it refers to short-term occasional alcohol consumption.
In the first case, athletes consumed alcohol for 3 days after training. Testosterone levels did not change, nor did cortisol levels – the catabolic hormone responsible for muscle mass breakdown.
In the second case, after rugby players consumed alcohol post-game, there was a decline in strength and speed performance, but testosterone levels did not change.
And the following study is very interesting: when young people consumed alcohol in a small dose equivalent to about 2 bottles of beer (0.5 g/kg), testosterone levels increased by about 17% 4 [1].
This is not as much as it may seem. In the human body, testosterone levels fluctuate within these limits even without alcohol stimulation.
For comparison: in athletes who take anabolic steroids, testosterone levels increase on average by 100%.
With occasional consumption, moderate doses of alcohol do not affect testosterone levels in the blood; small doses may even stimulate its production
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Moving on. We increase the duration and regularity of intake.
- Regular consumption in small doses
In the next experiment, middle-aged men and women consumed beer equivalent to 40 and 30 g of alcohol for men and women respectively (about 0.5 liters of beer) daily for 3 weeks 6.
Result: the level of the hormone DHEA increased on average by 17% in both men and women; the testosterone level decreased by 7% in men and remained unchanged in women; the level of estradiol (female sex hormone) did not change; in both groups, the level of cholesterol in the blood increased by 12%.
Regular consumption of alcohol in small amounts over a long period can lead to a decrease in testosterone levels
We increase the dose.
- Large doses
Large doses of alcohol 1.5-1.75 g/kg (120 g or about 2 liters of beer) significantly suppress testosterone production by 23%; the effect lasts more than a day and testosterone levels only recover after 36 hours 5,7,8.
Also, with large doses, the relative proportion of the catabolic hormone cortisol in the blood increases, which breaks down muscle 9.
Large doses of alcohol significantly suppress testosterone levels for more than a day
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4 Alcohol dehydrates the body
Another mechanism of impaired muscle growth when consuming alcohol, particularly beer, is that it leads to dehydration of the body.
Poor hydration, firstly, negatively affects workout intensity and increases fatigue.
Secondly, muscle protein synthesis decreases, an important condition of which is good hydration of muscle cells, which serves as a transport medium for nutrients (this is what happens when consuming creatine in bodybuilding).
Alcohol in the body blocks the absorption of trace elements (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and potassium), which are responsible for the contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers and have a direct impact on their growth.
Alcohol/beer dehydrates the body; this negatively affects workout intensity and fatigue, as well as hinders the growth of muscle cells
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5 Beer/alcohol increases belly fat
Alcohol is a very high-calorie product. While each gram of protein and carbohydrates contains 4 calories, fat contains 8 calories, each gram of alcohol contains 7 calories.
Moreover, these are “empty” calories that provide only energy and no nutrients.
In practice, this means that 1 liter of vodka has about 2000 calories, while 1 liter of beer has ~400 calories.
Additionally, alcohol consumption significantly stimulates appetite: the total calorie intake during an evening of relaxation can easily reach half of the daily norm…
Regardless, the fact that beer leads to belly fat is hard to dispute. Confirmation can always be seen in the average male representatives in our society who are over 40…
It goes without saying that the higher the body fat percentage, the worse the definition, even with a relatively large muscle mass.
Alcohol is not recommended for weight loss, as it has a relatively high calorie content: 1 liter of beer contains about 400 calories, and 1 liter of vodka ~2000 calories
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Conclusion
Alcohol is a toxic substance that has a poisoning effect on internal organs and has little to do with health.
Regular alcohol consumption destroys muscles, hinders muscle protein synthesis, and negatively affects training effectiveness.
However, according to scientific data, occasional consumption of beer and other alcoholic beverages in small doses does not pose serious harm to muscle mass and may even have a stimulating effect on testosterone levels.
