When you booze, you lose more than snooze

Posted by bodybuilder

Posted: August 4, 2008 - 5:25 pm

I wasn't always the goody-two shoes personal trainer/bodybuilder I am today. Believe it or not I spent many a weekend partying with friends and making booze filled memories. Today I rarely consume alcohol at all for many reason- the most important being, to protect my health. There are exceptions when I will have a few beers with friends and unwind, but as some of my dear friends can attest- I don't handle my alcohol quite as well as I used to.

The bane of your REM sleep

I take my extreme sickness after consuming a few beers as a good sign. Why? Because to me it's my body telling me not to put that malty poison back into it ever again. Of course most people feel the effects of a few drinks the next morning and that nasty headache and nausea is really just dehydration that can be remedied with a lot of water and rest.

What exactly are the effects of alcohol on the body? Well here are a few you might not know:

1) Heavy consumption of alcohol wreaks havoc on the brain in the short and long run. Alcohol fast-forwards the aging of the brain substantially and can cause dimentia earlier in life. When you drink to the point of getting drunk, the affects on the brain are quite obvious when you lose physical coordination and the ability to speak clearly, amongst other things. Memory loss may be another side affect of long-term abuse.

2) Downing just one drink a day can seriously disturb your REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep- that wonderful time of night when we are deep in sleep and dreaming. Adequate sleep is vital to our happiness, hormone balance and productivity- don't sacrifice it!

3) Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, so that means one 12oz beer is roughly 100 calories. 1 beer a day everday = about 700 calories per week. Not the most nutritious choice if you are trying to get fit as alcohol is not considered a nutrient.

4) While we sleep, our levels of growth hormone increase and our body is regenerating itself. If you consume alcohol regularly you may supress your body's natural levels of body building growth hormone. This is bad if you are attempting to lose body fat and/or build muscle.

5) Malnutrition is common among alcoholics because of poor food choices and alcohol's disturbance of absorption, metabolism and extretion of nutrients.

6) Moderate to no drinking is recommended by health professionals:
-Moderate drinking: 2 drinks per day for men; 1 drink per day for women.
-At risk drinking: >14 drinks per week for men OR >4 drinks per occasion. >7 drinks per week for women OR >3 drinks per occasion.

Obvisously conumption of alcohol should be done in moderation, just like most things in life. If you are getting ready for an athletic competition of any kind, it's wise to eliminate the consumption of alcohol completely. If you are trying to lose body fat and build muscle, alcohol plays no healthy role in this endeavor, so reach for the H2O instead.

If you do drink, in order to avoid the dreaded hangover- make sure to consume water before, during and after your booze. Eat something nutritious beforehand as well, such as brown rice and chicken (a complex carbohydrate with a lean protein source). Practice intelligence and please don't drink and drive.

References: Discovering Nutrition (American Dietetics Association)
-Paul Insel
-R. Elaine Turner
-Don Ross

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