Lots of people wonder if drinking alcohol can hurts their ability to gain muscle. Well the answer is yes!

No, this will not be an anti alcohol speech. I’m definitely not against alcohol. I enjoy a few drinks myself sometimes.

But, if you’re on a mass building regimen, drinking too much can definitely have a bad impact on your efforts.

Here are 5 ways that alcohol abuse can slow your muscle gains…

#1 It Slows Protein Synthesis

Amino acids have to band together to form proteins. This is protein synthesis. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can slow this process down by about 20%.

Your muscles are made of water and protein, so you see how this can be a problem!

#2 It Drops Your Testosterone Levels

If you want to build more muscle, you need all the testosterone you can get!

#3 It Dehydrates You

To break down the alcohol, your kidneys must filter large amounts of water. This can cause major dehydration

Your muscles are about 70% water, so even slight dehydration is a problem.

#4 It Depletes Your Body Of Vitamins And Minerals

Excessive drinking causes vitamins A, C, B, calcium, and other minerals to be drained at fast rates.

This adversely affects many functions within your body, including repair and growth of muscle tissue.

#5 It Causes Fat Storage

Alcohol can also be fattening. For one thing, the calories contain no nutritional value. Two, alcohol interferes with the Krebs Cycle. The Krebs Cycle plays a role in processes that burn fat. Gaining body fat means your muscle will be covered up.

If you want to build muscle fast, monitor your alcohol intake and drink in moderation.

Having some drinks sometimes won’t hurt too much. If you wanna get drunk every weekend, just know that it’s probably going to slow down your muscle building.

Before you start to drink, have lots of water and eat a high protein meal.

Terrence Banks has a site on how to build muscle and tips on the fastest way to build muscle.