Having a drink once in a while is considered routine by most people. However, for people who are looking to build muscle, this route may not be the best one to take. There are a host of reasons why alcohol could hinder the process of building muscles and counteract the effects of the many hours spent at the gym.
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Alcohol is a well known cause of bodily dehydration. This is the reason why most people feel extremely thirsty after heavy drinking. It is common knowledge that water enhances overall health. It is important to note that it also enhances muscle building. Drinking lots of water everyday will keep the body hydrated, allowing one to exercise and build muscle effectively. Avoiding alcohol is the best way to avoid alcohol-induced dehydration. This keeps the body strong and increases its ability to build muscle.
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The calorie levels in alcohol are considerably high, increasing the chances of getting fat for individuals who are constantly drinking. Specifically, there are 7 calories in every gram of alcohol, which is higher than the calorie count in most proteins. There is no nutrition in calories contained in alcohol, making them useless to the body. With this in mind, calories contained in alcohol will not only make a person fat, they will also reduce the chances of building any muscles at all.
The process of building muscle occurs when the body can synthesize protein adequately. Alcohol has a negative effect on this process, by slowing down the body’s ability to synthesize protein. Even with a proper workout, the body will not be able to recover accordingly if a person has been drinking. In fact, alcohol will only result in sore muscles after a workout. Staying away from alcohol enhances the protein synthesis process, thus speeding the muscle building process.
Apart from being fattening on its own, alcohol increases appetite. After a night of heavy drinking, most people find that they cannot stop eating. In fact, the chances of craving unhealthy foods are higher after taking alcohol. The increase in appetite results in an increased intake of calories. This means that one has to work out more if they are to build any muscles.
Alcohol has an effect on the quality and quantity of sleep one gets. Most people sleep very few hours after a night of drinking. Alcohol also has a huge effect on the quality of sleep. This is why one keeps waking up if they have been drinking. If the body does not get enough rest through sleep, it cannot build muscles effectively. It takes longer for one to recover from workouts if they have been drinking the night before. For one to build muscles, they must give the body a chance to rest through a good night’s sleep.
When it comes to building muscles, alcohol is something to avoid. Consuming alcohol may render the many hours of working out pointless, especially for heavy drinkers. Taking one or two drinks once in a while is harmless, but daily or regular drinking is harmful not only to muscle building but to a person’s overall health.