Alcohol’s Effect on Muscle Growth

Those who are bodybuilders or those who are just looking for getting a better shape for their bodies are certainly wondering how the alcohol works for the muscle growth. It is known by everyone that the alcohol consumption can be harmful for the human body, especially for the liver, but the moderated consumption of alcohol it’s not harmful.

For those who are working out the calories are very important. That’s why some of those people who are training, with or without help from the steroids are wondering if the calories from the alcohol are counted for their bodies or not.

Usually those who are consuming alcohol are having a lower weight than those who are never drinking. One of the reasons why this is happening is because the fat and carbohydrates are exchanged for the calories from the alcohol.

The thermic effect of food should also be taken in calculation because this effect is lowering the level of calories contained by alcohols.

The effect of alcohol on testosterone

Some studies have shown that those who are consuming alcohol are having a low level of testosterone and that alcohol can decrease the level of testosterone from the human body. This thing could be very bad for the bodybuilders, because they need testosterone in order to gain muscle mass, burn the fat and to have the necessary energy and strength for working out.

However, some studies also shown that the level of testosterone is decreasing only if a person consume 10 beers per day, for a period of two weeks. There were a lot of tests done to see the real effect of alcohol for the bodybuilders and the opinions are certainly divided.

Moreover, alcohol is producing dehydration, and this thing is certainly not good for the bodybuilders. It is also slowing the ability of the human body to heal, even if we talk about organs or skin tissue.
The nutrient absorption

One of the ugliest things that can be caused by the alcohol will be the absorption of some important nutrients. For those who didn’t know, alcohol is absorbing B1, B12, folic acid and zinc, and these vitamins are excellent for the human body.

As an example, if there is not enough folic acid in the human’s body, this could lead to a blood disorder which is having a negative effect on the endurance of a person.

That’s not exactly what a bodybuilder or athlete is trying to obtain. Some people also said that alcohol can be also excellent for working out because it’s giving enough energy for that. Everyone knows the effect of alcohol when it’s not consumed with moderation.

The final conclusion

Alcohol can be consumed by those who are injecting or taking steroids, but only if they are doing it with moderation. If you go out and you are a bodybuilder you don’t have to drink only water or natural juice.

Three or four beers won’t bring you any harm; only try to avoid doing a habit out of it. In addition, the alcohol will never affect your body condition if you really know how to drink alcohol.

Try to avoid as much as you can to get drunk but for that you will have to know your limits and to ignore what your friends will say.

As an example, if you go out every weekend, you can consume alcohol as long as you don’t cross your own limit. You should also have a whole month in which you don’t drink anything, because this way your body will heal, especially your liver.

For the best results, it’s recommended to avoid the consumption of alcohol.

Effects of Testosterone

The effects of testosterone are truly amazing, as there is almost nothing this primary androgen cannot do. Testosterone is an essential hormone for both men and women, and is one of the most important hormones we produce. Of course, men need ten times the amount women need, literally ten times the amount, but it remains essential to both sexes. To understand the effects of testosterone, we largely only need to understand the effects of low levels, for when we see what happens when levels fall we can see how vital testosterone is to our body. Then of course we have exogenous testosterone, the synthetic version and primary anabolic steroid. Let's take a look at the hormone as a whole, and lead you to understanding the true effects of testosterone.

Testosterone is the primary androgenic hormone of an immense anabolic nature found in both men and women. By its nature, the effects of testosterone are largely responsible for our physical and mental well-being as well as our sexual function. When we do not produce enough testosterone we suffer in numerous ways that can be quite detrimental to our quality of life. No, the effects are not directly life threatening, but they can lead to many serious issues that are indeed life threatening if ignored. In many ways, low levels can be viewed as a gateway to serious complications. As stated, to understand the effects of testosterone we only need to see what low levels can cause, and such effects include:

Loss of Libido
Erectile Dysfunction
Loss of Muscle Mass
Loss of Strength
Increased Body-Fat
Loss of Energy
Loss of Concentration
Depression
Insomnia

As you can already see, testosterone is a very important hormone, but when levels remain low for an extended period of time you can really see how important this hormone is. As stated, low levels can be a gateway to many far more serious problems and they include:

Alzheimer's
Anxiety
Diabetes
High Cholesterol
Infertility
Constant Muscle & Bone Soreness & Pains
Osteoporosis
Polyuria
Exogenous

You now have an idea regarding how important the effects of testosterone are, but what about synthetic testosterone or exogenous? Put simply, exogenous testosterone is the same as the testosterone you make. Once in the body, the body makes no notable distinguishing difference. The hormone will provide the same benefits as the naturally produced; however, with the introduction of exogenous testosterone, natural testosterone is suppressed. With the introduction of exogenous testosterone there is no need for natural testosterone production.

The idea behind exogenous use is quite simple, to provide enough testosterone to fill a deficiency or to enhance performance by increasing levels beyond the normal range. Through this enhancement we really see the effects of testosterone shine For instance, when supplementing to bring levels above baseline normal we enhance several various things within the body which include:
Increased Nitrogen Retention
Increased Protein Synthesis
Increased Red Blood Cell Count
Decreased Glucocorticoid Production
Increased Rate of Recovery
Increased Stamina
Increased Clarity of Thought
Increased Focus
Improved Sense of Well-Being

It doesn't matter who you are, when you look at the above list it's impossible to say the effects of testosterone are not welcomed. Through these effects are quality of life is enhanced, and that is the true effect we are all after regardless of our individual goals.
Adverse Effects

Of course, the use of exogenous testosterone is not without possible problems, "possible" being the key word. When we supplement with exogenous forms for the purpose of hormone replacement this is normally not much of a concern as we are only replacing what our body is no longer making. However, when we go beyond the normal or average range the adverse effects of testosterone can become an issue of concern. The reason for concern is the manner by-which testosterone converts into estrogen via the aromatase process. Through this conversion, as estrogen builds up five possible things can occur:

Gynecomastia
Water Retention
High Blood Pressure
High LDL Cholesterol
Low HDL Cholesterol

To prevent the adverse effects of testosterone, first and foremost we must keep our exogenous doses reasonable. Secondly, we must combat the estrogen conversion, and the best way to do this is through the use of an Aromatase Inhibitor (AI). AI's do exactly what their name implies, they inhibit Aromatase. If the aromatase process is inhibited there is no buildup in estrogen, and further, by its nature an AI will actively reduce the amount of estrogen in the body making the adverse effects of testosterone of little to no concern.

Steroids Use Effect - You Keep Building Muscle 10 Years Later

It's almost accepted as common knowledge that steroid users lose most of their gains once they stop juicing. However, a new Norwegian study shows a previously unknown side effect of steroids use: a steroid cycle taken today, can still help you pack on muscle mass even a decade after you stop using them. That's a pretty great side effect side effect of steroids use if you ask me and one I did not know about.

We've all heard the myth of the side effect of steroids use being when you stop using steroids all kind of bad things happen. Your muscles shrink significantly, your muscles turn to fat, you aren't nearly as strong, and your workouts suffer after a cycle. Of course, anybody who's used steroids responsibly before knows that the stereotypes can be blown out of proportion - especially for those who use a product like Test Stack 17 or other good Post-Cycle Therapy products. However, the fact remains that you're not going to keep everything after a cycle.

This being said, you'd think that somebody would experience almost no beneficial side effects of steroids use once they stop juicing for a decade. But Norwegian researchers have recently proven that this thought might not be entirely true. In fact, their study shows promising results which indicate that using steroids now could help you easily put on muscle much later in life.

Mighty Mouse

A few years ago, Norwegian scientist Kristian Gundersen and his colleagues made an interesting discovery which finally proved the actual existence of "muscle memory." This finding explained that people who exercise earlier in life can gain lean muscle faster at an older age.

More recently, these researchers again set out to make yet another discovery involving muscle. But this time they focused on the long-term impact that testosterone could have on mice. To set up their study, the scientists gave mice small amounts of testosterone for a short period of time. Three months after the mice stopped receiving the testosterone, their muscles grew by 30% following six days of exercise. Contrast this to the group of mice who weren't receiving the drug, as their muscles grew just 6% in the same time span.

Gundersen, who's also a professor at the University of Oslo, explained the findings to BBC News by saying, "It is rare to have data that clear cut, I was pretty satisfied with that." He went on to add that testosterone helps by boosting the number of cell nuclei in muscle fibers. And these extra nuclei greatly aided the mice in packing on more muscle in a short amount of time.

A Decade of Results

Whenever there's a study involving mice, the question must always be asked, 'How do the results translate to humans?' In Gundersen's opinion, humans may be getting the exact same long-term benefits from using testosterone. In fact, he thinks that the improved muscle-building results could last a full decade later.

"If it is sufficient to build muscle mass, I think it would be sufficient to give you this long-term effect," Gundersen said. "I think it could last 10 years, but I don't have the data to back that up. It would be my speculation yes."

This line of thinking goes against what many have commonly thought about steroids, in that they only provide results during and shortly after a cycle. And while these findings are encouraging to those who are thinking of juicing, there's something much larger behind Gundersen's research.

Lifetime Ban

When sports organizations suspend an athlete for using roids, it's usually only a short-term ban, such as four months, a year or, in the worst case, two years. But based on what the Norwegian scientists discovered, juicing could give one an advantage for many, many years to come.

"In science if you cheat, you are out for life, and my personal view is that it should be similar for athletes," Gundersen stated. "It is a harsh treatment but if you really are cheating, I think that's reasonable."

Gundersen's words are backed up by a study that was done in Sweden involving power lifters. Researchers Anders Eriksson and Lars-Eric Thornell were able to determine that lifters who'd taken drugs before and were doing little to no training had about the same number of cell nuclei in their quadriceps as clean athletes who were undergoing high intensity training. In other words, power lifters could still have an advantage over opponents long after they stopped juicing. Given these results, it's little wonder why the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is debating whether to increase their doping ban from 2 to 4 years.

Regardless of what effect the Swedish and Norwegian scientists' research has on sports, it's really cool to know that there's a strong possibility that roids can work years after taking them. This means that if you ever have a change of heart about using gear or just can't afford it, you won't lose everything by going clean for a while. So keep lifting! And this is certainly a welcome thought to many amateur bodybuilders out there who are considering steroids.