Alcoholic drinks are present at almost every holiday. They tightly entered the culture of man. Therefore, many people are wondering if alcohol and bodybuilding are compatible. If a person takes medical dosages, then this is not serious harm. However, almost no one drinks alcohol like that. There are many scientific facts around bodybuilding and drinking, but myths are also enough.
How does alcohol affect the human body
The alcohol contains ethanol. Its action causes psychoactive effects. In addition, drinks inhibit the nervous system. When alcohol enters the human body, 1 gram of ethanol turns into 7 calories. The cocktails do not have any useful compounds. Most scientists believe that these are "harmful calories."
Up to 90% of the alcohol that a person drank is absorbed in the liver. However, internal organs are able to independently create alcohol to maintain a healthy body. The dosage, which does not harm a person, ranges from two to ten grams of pure ethanol.
If a person drank a lot of alcohol, then he will have pain in the head, vomiting, heart palpitations. Therefore, the compatibility of alcohol and bodybuilding at high dosages is very low.
Sport and alcohol
If an athlete likes to go to various institutions after training, then most often it ends badly. Since not every person can control himself and his desires. Therefore, he drinks alcohol after training. Bodybuilding requires responsibility. Since alcohol not only harms the body, but also slows down muscle growth by 2 times. When drinking is abused, other negative effects will appear in the body:
- The production of the hormone self -otropin decreases. Muscle growth stops if an athlete drinks 25 grams of pure alcohol per day. Growth hormone levels will recover only after a few days.
- The amount of vitamins and nutrients is reduced. Alcohol and bodybuilding are incompatible, since these substances are needed to form the relief of the muscles. Vitamins B and A are washed out in the human body. They are responsible for the production of natural anabolic hormone.
- Muscle protein begins to be produced slowly. Protein is the building block of muscle. Without it, they do not increase. Such effects will be observed for two days.
In addition, alcohol evenings lead to a decrease in energy. A person will be too lazy to attend the gym. In training, it will be very difficult for several weeks.
What an athlete needs to remember
If the athlete received a slight intoxication, then the harm lies in missing one training session. If a person drank several bottles of beer, then this will affect the body as if he had not been in the gym for a week. When an athlete drinks systematically, muscle growth will stop. In addition, vodka is absorbed by the body very slowly. Drunk 200 milliliters will be processed in 9 hours. Beer also contains female hormone, which turns into fat in a man's body. Health and bodybuilding are compatible concepts. Alcohol has nothing to do with them.
Athlete Impact
Thanks to testosterone, mass gain occurs. Also, this hormone affects the behavior of men. Thanks to testosterone, hair appears on the body, the guy feels confident and shows attention to the opposite sex. In addition, with its help, the athlete's muscle mass grows. After drinking alcohol, a person begins to secrete estrogen, which is very much in girls. As a result, the guy may appear mood swings, body fat. Muscle growth also slows down. It concerns only beer drinks. Their list includes low-alcohol cocktails, hop products and cider.
Why is fat formed due to alcohol
Alcohol and bodybuilding are incompatible due to the negative effects of alcohol on the body. A person will increase fatty tissue in the body. Ethanol increases appetite. For an athlete, this is useful if he does not drink alcohol. Since fats stop oxidizing. As a result, all calories and carbohydrates are deposited in the body as excess weight. In addition, alcohol leads to a decrease in water in the body. As a result, dehydration may occur. To build muscle, a person should drink plenty of water. Otherwise, their growth will stop.
Muscle tissue
Alcohol negatively affects white fibers. Thanks to these muscles, the main mass gain occurs. Alcoholic beverages reduce the amount of glycogen. The substance is the main source of energy for the muscles. In addition, a person’s endurance worsens. It will be difficult for an athlete to perform supersets. Also, the athlete will not be able to do many repetitions.
It may take seven to twenty days to restore muscle condition. Also, a large number of athletes have disturbed sleep patterns. Thanks to rest, a person replenishes his body with energy. Also in a dream, muscle recovery occurs. If it is broken, then the muscles will not grow at full strength. Since there is not enough rest for them. Therefore, the effect of alcohol on muscles in bodybuilding is very serious.
Calorie alcohol
Energy enters the human body not only from ethanol. Most smoothies are high in calories due to their high sugar content. Low alcohol drinks contain a lot of fat. Wine and beer products are rich in empty carbohydrates. If a person drinks a lot of such drinks, then he will begin to store fat.
Most manufacturers indicate calories on a bottle or can of alcohol. All drinks have different nutrient content. Calorie content of popular alcohol:
- One bottle of beer contains 150 calories. Proteins are up to 2 grams, and carbohydrates - 12 g. In dark beer, the indicators do not differ.
- 150 ml of wine contains 120 calories. There are practically no proteins in the drink. Carbohydrates - 4 grams.
- Vodka does not contain proteins and fats, and 100 ml of the product contains 60 calories.
If a person will consume such drinks, it is better to choose cocktails in which these indicators are the least. Liquors contain a lot of sugar, so it is better not to drink them. When a feast occurs, the athlete should bite every serving of alcohol. Also in between you can drink plain water.
Common myths
Some athletes believe that a small amount of beer will not harm the body. However, any cocktail negatively affects the set of muscle mass. In addition, beer contributes to the deposition of fat. Also, the drink disrupts blood circulation. Myths about alcohol and bodybuilding:
- With the help of drinks you can build weight. This will not work, because alcohol blocks the production of all important hormones. In addition, various trace elements do not enter the body.
- Drinking cocktails does not lead to obesity. In practice, even small portions lead to the deposition of excess weight.
- Wine is good for your health. Scientists have found that even small dosages are harmful to bodybuilders.
Even an athlete should not drink periodically. Since the whole effect of the gym will approach zero. If a person has a feast, then you need to pay attention to how much alcohol is eliminated from the body. The table will show what period of time the body needs to recover.
Non-Professional Alcohol
If a person is far from various competitions or does not strive for high achievements in the world of bodybuilding, then it will be difficult for him to adhere to the ban on alcohol. However, if an athlete regularly visits the gym and observes proper nutrition, then you can periodically drink. However, the dosage should be no more than one glass of wine or a bottle of beer per month. If a person drank a lot, then you should pay attention to the table through how much alcohol is eliminated from the body. She will show you when you can start hard training.
How to reduce the negative impact
There are situations when it is very difficult for a person to limit himself in drinking. In such cases, the negative effect of alcohol on the body can be reduced. In addition, with the help of special methods, a person will protect muscles from various consequences. However, an athlete is better off avoiding such situations. Reducing the negative effects of alcohol for a bodybuilder is as follows:
- Drink plenty of water before a feast.
- Take a double dose of vitamins C, approximately 500 mg.
- Before going to bed, the athlete needs to eat a lot of protein food. It can be fried eggs, curd, meat.
- After drinking alcohol, you should have a bite.
- Observe the measure. An athlete should not drink a lot of alcohol. Since it will be harmful not only for the muscles, but also for the whole organism. If the athlete has poorly developed willpower, then you can ask others to control the amount of alcohol consumed.
- In the morning, drink 250 ml of natural orange juice and 500 milliliters of mineral water.
For breakfast, the athlete should eat well. There should be foods rich in protein and calcium in your diet. You should also eat fish and foods high in iron. You should eat buckwheat porridge, banana and 300 grams of cottage cheese. After a few hours, nutritionists recommend eating oatmeal. If a person feels bad in the morning, then you need to drink activated charcoal, drink healing water and take pills for headaches.