Excessive alcohol consumption is linked with serious medical complications.
Alcohol reduces testosterone levels, impairs muscle growth and certain alcoholic drinks contain estrogren-like substances causing feminisation of male body parts.
When ethanol is consumed in doses of 1.5g/kg, an 80kg (176lbs) male can drink 6.7 units of alcohol before the regular production of testosterone takes a hit and is reduced by 23% for around 24 hours. (1 unit alcohol = 8 grams ethanol).1
Anything over 3 glasses of wine, 2.5 pints or 6.7 shots of spirits will negatively impact your testosterone levels.
Burke et al. (2003)3 found that alcohol impaired muscle protein synthesis, nullified anabolic and anti-catabolic effects of insulin and IGF-1, intoxicated the testes and reduced testosterone production.
Badr et al. (1974)4 fed mice different doses of ethanol mixture. The study found a significant decrease in testosterone levels and more so in the higher concentration groups. A range from 2 - 18 times lower than the control group.
Gavaler (1998)5 hypothesises a link between the feminisation of men’s body parts and consuming alcohol. Alcoholic beverages contain phytoestrogens. Gavaler removed all the alcohol and water (in wine, beer & bourbon) to isolate and identify any estrogenic compounds. Two phytoestrogens were found; sitosterol and biochanin A, and an additional two in beer, daidzein and genistein. Stopping the consumption of various alcoholic beverages took a week to improve hormone levels. However, they were still lower than base levels prior to consumption.
A study by Barnes et al. (2010)6 found that moderate consumption of alcohol post-exercise causes loses in strength and muscle recovery.
A large review study on alcohol’s effects by Bianco et al. (2014)7 concluded that alcohol inhibited protein synthesis in the muscles i.e. your muscles wouldn’t grow back as big once broken down from resistance training.
A study by Rantakömi et al. (2014)8 examined the relationship of the frequency of alcohol consumption and stroke mortality. The risk of stroke death was highest when men consumed alcohol more than 2.5 times per week.
Limit consumption as much as possible.
If a must, stick to spirits for the lower calorie content and room for more drinks to be drunk without impacting testosterone levels drastically. 5 beers is not the same as 5 vodka shots.
The pulsatile secretion of gonadotropins and growth hormone, and the biological activity of luteinizing hormone in men acutely intoxicated with ethanol
Link - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2128439/
True or False: The Occasional Weekend Alcohol Binge Does not Hamper Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy, Will Not Decrease Testosterone and Cannot Impair Your Strength & Recovery
Link - https://titaniumprox.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/true-or-false-the-occasional-weekend-alcohol-binge-does-not-hamper-skeletal-muscle-hypertrophy-will-not-decrease-testosterone-and-cannot-impair-your-strength-recovery/
Effect of alcohol intake on muscle glycogen storage after prolonged exercise
Link - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12740311/
Effect of ethyl alcohol on plasma testosterone level in mice
Link - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0039128X74900646
Alcoholic Beverages as a Source of Estrogens
Link - https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh22-3/220.pdf
Acute alcohol consumption aggravates the decline in muscle performance following strenuous eccentric exercise
Link - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19230764/
Alcohol consumption and hormonal alterations related to muscle hypertrophy: a review
Link - https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-11-26
The frequency of alcohol consumption is associated with the stroke mortality
Link - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24606050/