If you work hard in
the gym all week in order to achieve a lean, muscular physique but indulge in
alcohol consumption during the weekend, beware.
Alcoholic beverages can kill muscle gains in a hurry and make it
difficult to lose unwanted body fat.
Alcohol and Hormone Levels
Four hormones that
most influence the body’s ability to synthesize muscle tissue and break down
fat tissue are: testosterone, estrogen, cortisol and insulin. While fluctuations in the levels of these
hormones occur regularly in normal, healthy adults, lifestyle factors greatly
contribute to the extent and frequency of hormone level fluctuations.
For those who desire to achieve and maintain
a lean, muscular physique, adherence to sound nutritional principles are
critical. Regularly drinking alcohol can
dramatically impact a person’s ability to lose weight and gain muscle.
Testosterone and Estrogen
Scientists long
believed that alcohol consumption caused a rapid and dramatic drop in
testosterone levels in both men and women.
This theory supported the thought process that regular alcohol consumption
would lead to loss of muscle mass, increase of body fat and mood changes.
There is an inverse
relationship between testosterone and estrogen levels in the body. Generally, as testosterone levels drop,
estrogen levels increase. Estrogen is
known to promote fat storage in the human body, particularly in the hips,
thighs and breasts. When estrogen levels
are elevated, body fat can easily accumulate in these areas.
Most recently,
scientists have determined that alcohol consumption may actually cause a brief
spike in testosterone levels. This may
explain the aggression that is sometimes demonstrated in individuals when
over-consumption of alcohol occurs.
While a brief spike in testosterone levels may occur, it is short-lived
and has no benefit to the drinker. In
fact, the subsequent drop in testosterone levels may actually briefly elevate
estrogen production.
Insulin
When a person
consumes an alcoholic beverage, whether it is beer, wine or spirits, a
biological process occurs that ultimately raises blood sugar levels and
stimulates an insulin response.
Insulin’s role is to reduce the level of sugar
in the blood through a process that alters the sugar molecule at the atomic
level. This alteration causes blood
sugar levels to drop and facilitates the body’s fat storage process.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a
hormone released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. While cortisol plays an important role in
blood pressure regulation and helps manage the body’s energy systems during
times of distress, long-term elevated cortisol levels can have a detrimental
impact on muscle mass and body fat levels.
During and immediately following an alcohol drinking session, cortisol
levels are elevated growth hormone levels are reduced..
Over-indulgence of
alcohol on a regular basis will cause the body to release cortisol more
frequently. This may result in excess
accumulation of body fat, especially in the mid-section of the torso within the
body cavity.
This type of fat, called
visceral fat, is difficult to eliminate and results in a bloated appearance and
a distended abdomen. Accumulation of
visceral fat caused from alcohol abuse is often referred to as a “beer belly.” Also, muscle tissue is metabolized for energy
when high levels of cortisol are present.
Appetite
After consuming a
few alcoholic beverages, do you get the munchies? Many people do and it is a direct result of
the chemical reaction that occurs in the brain when alcohol intoxication
occurs. Further, inhibitions are reduced
when a person is under the influence of alcohol and it becomes difficult to
adhere to a strict diet plan.
Alcohol carries seven
calories per gram, slightly less than the number of calories that are found in
a gram of fat. Because alcohol cannot be
efficiently used by the body, it is quickly broken down into sugar, which
causes an insulin response.
Alcohol’s Nutritional Value
Alcohol Dependence
Serious fitness
enthusiasts should consider the negative impact alcohol can have on body
composition and health. Many people
maintain a healthy lifestyle that incorporates an exercise program and diet for
fat loss and muscle building.
However,
some of these people are or will become dependent on alcohol. For example, an alcoholic bodybuilder may not
initially experience heath, familial or legal consequences until the disease of
alcoholism progresses into middle or late stages.
To be sure, if the alcoholic bodybuilder continues to abuse alcohol, his
muscle mass and body fat levels will be negatively affected.
A common
misconception about alcoholism is that alcohol abusers are malnourished, have
poor hygiene and are constantly intoxicated.
These characteristics more accurately described a person who is in the
late stages of the disease of alcoholism.
Many people who may be susceptible to alcoholism may only exhibit mild
symptoms early on, but as addiction takes hold, the disease progresses to the
point where the person becomes physically and psychologically dependent on
alcohol.
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