Alcohol - How much harm?

[Lukin2grow]

I work in bars as a musician and for many years now it's quite common to drink at least a couple of drinks a night..including a few at home on nights off. Yeah I'd fit the definition of an alcoholic for frequency for sure.

Of my own volition though I'm choosing to ixnay it for at least a month and see how my body might respond. It's been a good 15 + years that I've led this lifestyle. The last week I've abstained entirely in the bars and only twice did I break down a little and have a few beer one night at home and a couple of glasses of wine on another. Now I'm seriously having none for the next few weeks.

Just wondering how many of you feel about alcohol and it's effects on bodybuilding in general. does anyone have any specific stories to share that might give an idea how it can impact people? I mean it's obviously something that's done in excess is bad, and being hung over will frequently make people skip the gym..but I was thinking more in terms of has anyone out there done what I'm doing and then noticed a big difference in muscle response? Maybe weight gain (or loss)?

Just curious what the opinions are as to how detrimental the sauce can be or whether some feel it's relatively negligible as long as you eat, sleep and train right.

[nitrous]

i lose a ton of water weight and because of that all my joints hurt when i start lifting a couple days after drinking.. and i feel weaker.. i havent drank since october cuz it just pisses me off to be drinking while working out.. (and there was the added insentive that i was on a cycle)

[O-Train]

I found the results from this study suprising to say the least. Going to look for some more articles.

Controlled study on the combined effect of alcohol and tobacco smoking on testosterone in alcohol-dependent men.Walter M, Gerhard U, Gerlach M, Weijers HG, Boening J, Wiesbeck GA.
Division of Substance Use Disorders, Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. marc.walter@upkbs.ch

AIMS: The present study examined the association between pre-treatment drinking and smoking parameters and plasma testosterone levels before and after alcohol withdrawal. METHODS: A total of 51 alcohol-dependent men and 43 age-matched healthy men were investigated. In alcoholics, free testosterone in plasma was measured on the day of admission, after detoxification and after 6 weeks of sobriety. RESULTS: While the testosterone level of alcoholic men did not differ from healthy controls at the onset of withdrawal, it was significantly higher for the alcoholics after 6 weeks of sobriety than for the healthy controls. Higher alcohol consumption and higher tobacco use before detoxification led to higher levels of testosterone concentration before and after withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of alcohol and tobacco is cumulative, with higher levels of alcohol and tobacco consumption being associated with higher levels of testosterone before and after alcohol withdrawal.

[Drummer]

i guess this means toss out the test and get some jack and camels.....

at about 70 cals per shot of empty calories for hard alcohol and at least 150 a beer, it tends to pack on fat. dehydrtates you, slows you down, and if you binge it will affect your lifting for the next day or more. There are no real health benefits to it, except for the being buzzed and having fun part (if you do). Other than that it really has no place in the workout lifestyle except to hold you back.

~DB~

[Lukin2grow]

WTF??? That study posted above is the exact OPPOSITE of what I've ever read about alcohol in particular. I've read numerous times that it drops testosterone. How can that be? That's weird. :wtf

[O-Train]

WTF??? That study posted above is the exact OPPOSITE of what I've ever read about alcohol in particular. I've read numerous times that it drops testosterone. How can that be? That's weird. :wtf

That's what I thought too.

[phatkid77]

posted by alex azarian on proM... and this dude is shredded...mileage may vary

was drinking 2 coors lights a night all the way till i was 4 weeks out. I was drinking them at night to relax and help me sleep.. ( 100calories and zero carbs each).

[nisser]

i dont' think the issue is carbs/carlories but rather the ALCOHOL part.

[#8]

id like to see this "coors light" with "100" calories and "zero" carbs.....did he make that up?

[proximo]

id like to see this "coors light" with "100" calories and "zero" carbs.....did he make that up?

Me too. If this exists, this would be fantastic. I myself have had the occasional vodka and diet coke while on zero carbs....but nothing beats an ice cold beer.

[The Brick]

The AMERICAN version of Coors light has 102 calories, and around 5 grams of carbs.

The Canadian version has 120 calories, and a couple more grams of carbs.

So really not an overall bad choice.

[faller]

Moderation!! Nothing wrong with a couple drinks. I don't drink every night and the reason's are not because of the alcohol.. I think beer is God's greatest joke, it taste's so damn good but nothing is more discusting than a beer belly!

Dureing the week we tend not to have any drinks, but come friday the wife and i will get a couple bottles of wine or a dozen micro brewery beer, cook up a nice meal, and just relax and enjoy each other's company!