Drinking and Exercise: How Do They Really Stack?

A few weeks ago I put a post on here about smoking and exercise, taking a look at how they really measure up to each other. Not surprisingly, I got a lot of emails saying something along the lines of "Of course they don't go together. You should never smoke period, let alone with exercise!"

Well, yeah, it does seem pretty obvious, but what about alcohol?

First of all, there are several studies out right now that say light to moderate alcohol consumption may be beneficial to your health. The studies basically found that putting alcohol in dirt made worms live longer. Not exactly the cocktail I'd order on a Saturday night.

However, we also know that alcohol lowers testosterone levels. To a bodybuilder or anybody looking to gain muscle mass, that's big news. Testosterone and growth hormone are two of the hormones which we need to repair and build muscle tissue.

What do I personally think? Honestly, I am a person who has a beer or a glass of wine several times per week. A lot of it depends on your history as well though. If you don't have any problems with drinking, it's not going to be the end of the world. If you have a history of alcoholism, definitely stay away from it (and if you're still going through trouble, find an Atlanta alcohol rehab center).

In the end, I really have to step aside and say that if you seriously want to maximize your workouts and get the most out of your time in the gym, just don't even bother with alcohol. It's only going to slow you down. And again, completely seriously, if you or someone you know has problems with drugs or alcohol, take a look at this link for an Atlanta drug rehab center and make sure you know everything you can about beating it.

Posted in: drinking and alcohol, drinking and testosterone, drinking with your workout, how to workout, rehab and exercise