If you’re serious about building muscle, you’ve probably wondered, “Is drinking alcohol going to ruin my gains?”
The short answer is that alcohol can hurt muscle growth, but how much depends on the amount you drink. One or two drinks every now and then won’t erase all of your hard work.
But regular heavy drinking can make it much harder to see results, no matter how much time you spend in the gym.
I can actually attest to this, and what happened really blew me away. It taught me a lesson I’ll never forget.
Years ago, I had been working out religiously to get my bench press up to 300 pounds. I was at the time maxing out at about 275, and decided to go on a week-long vacation.
I was with friends drinking every single day that week, and my diet was not great. I didn’t think at all about how it might affect my strength, but I had a rude awakening when I got back.
When I got back in the gym the next week, I could barely lift 225 pounds. I thought maybe it was just a bad day, but it wasn’t. I didn’t get my bench press back to 275 for 9 months! It was a major lesson learned, and I’m much more careful now.
Now, is that what happens to everyone? Probably not. I assume my experience is on the extreme end of the spectrum. However, it did happen, and I’ll never forget it.
It’s also worth noting that my loss was in strength, not necessarily in muscle growth. Regardless, though, alcohol did have negative effects on my gains.
Don’t worry, I’ll break down exactly how alcohol affects muscle growth. I'll also go over how it affects strength, recovery, and performance.
In This Article:
• Does Alcohol Kill Muscle Growth?
• 6 Ways Alcohol Affects Muscle Growth
• Can You Drink Alcohol and Still Build Muscle?
• About Alcohol and Muscle Growth: Frequently Asked Questions
• The Bottom Line: Alcohol and Muscle Growth
Does Alcohol Kill Muscle Growth?
Not instantly. One night out won’t ruin weeks of progress. However, alcohol does work against the same processes that build muscle.
Consuming alcohol after exercise reduces our ability to repair muscle tissue (1). This is true even if you also consume protein with it. Over time, this can lead to slower recovery, less growth, and weaker performance.
So while alcohol doesn’t “kill” muscle growth completely, it does make the process harder and slower. It can significantly affect your strength levels, though.
Studies show that high alcohol consumption can lower muscle strength (6). This goes right in line with the experience I had years ago.
It can also significantly impact your performance the day after consuming alcohol (7). Overall, alcohol isn’t great when it comes to any fitness goal.
5 Ways Alcohol Affects Muscle Growth
1. Alcohol Interferes with Muscle Protein Synthesis
Muscle protein synthesis is how your muscles repair and grow after training. Alcohol directly suppresses this process. What this means is your body won't be able to use protein as effectively to rebuild muscle (1).
2. Alcohol Disrupts Hormones
Testosterone is one of the most important hormones for muscle growth. Research shows alcohol can lower testosterone (2), which obviously isn't ideal. It can also negatively affect other hormones like cortisol, which can play a role in muscle loss (2).
3. Alcohol Impairs Nutrient Absorption
Alcohol blocks the absorption of many of the key nutrients we need to build muscle. Some of these include amino acids, iron, zinc, and B vitamins (3). If we don't absorb those nutrients well, our results may suffer.
4. Alcohol Increases Inflammation
A little inflammation helps trigger growth after training. However, alcohol can increase chronic inflammation, and by quite a bit (4). This can slow recovery and potentially increase soreness.
5. Alcohol Disrupts Sleep
Muscle growth happens when you sleep. Alcohol may make you fall asleep faster, but it lowers the quality of your sleep (5). If it’s lowering the quality of our sleep, it’s likely going to negatively impact muscle growth.
Can You Drink Alcohol and Still Build Muscle?
Yes, you can technically still build muscle and drink a little alcohol. If your training, nutrition, and sleep are dialed in, a few drinks every now and then likely won’t ruin your progress.
However, if you’re going to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Otherwise, the negative effects become much more pronounced.
Here’s what moderation really looks like:
Men: 1–2 drinks on occasion
Women: 1 drink on occasion
Anything over 2–3 drinks at once can start interfering with recovery and sleep.
Also, don’t forget: Alcohol has calories. If you’re bulking or cutting, those calories need to be factored into your diet.
Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. A single beer, for instance, might have 95-300 calories depending on which one you drink. Some cocktails may even have 500 calories.
If you’re tracking your food and have a few drinks, don’t forget to track them. That will help you stay on track with your calorie intake.
Alcohol and Muscle Growth: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does One Night of Drinking Ruin Gains?
No. A single night out won’t ruin your progress. It may, however, impact recovery and performance for a few days. If you drink multiple days in a row, it may impact your results far more.
Q: How Much Alcohol Is Too Much for Building Muscle?
More than 2–3 drinks in one sitting starts to impair protein synthesis and recovery. Frequent heavy drinking can make muscle growth much harder. It can even move your progress backwards in some cases.
Q: What’s the Best Way to Minimize Alcohol’s Effects on Gains?
• Stick to moderation (1–2 drinks max) or none at all
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat protein with your meals
• Prioritize sleep
Q: Does Alcohol Affect Muscle Strength or Performance?
Yes, alcohol consumption can significantly impact muscle strength and performance. If those are important to you, it’s best to limit or avoid alcohol consumption altogether.
The Bottom Line: Alcohol and Muscle Growth
Alcohol doesn’t have to completely derail your fitness journey. However, it definitely makes building muscle harder if you drink too much or too often. It can also impact strength and performance.
If your goal is to maximize muscle growth, strength, or performance … this is what I recommend you should do:
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Track your calories and protein intake
• Get plenty of sleep each night (7-9 hours)
• Stay consistent with your nutrition and training
Earning results in fitness is difficult even without drinking. The more alcohol you consume, and the more often you drink it, the harder it can be to achieve significant results.
If results are what you’re looking for, we can help. At 1st Phorm, we know you don’t want your social life to ruin your progress. We guide people through these challenges every day.
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References:
(1) Parr EB, et al. Alcohol ingestion impairs maximal post-exercise rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis following a single bout of concurrent training. PLoS One. 2014;9(2):e88384.
(2) Bianco A, et al. Alcohol consumption and hormonal alterations related to muscle hypertrophy: a review. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2014;11:26.
(3) Butts M, et al. The Influence of Alcohol Consumption on Intestinal Nutrient Absorption: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2023;15(7):1571.
(4) Tharmalingam J, et al. Impact of Alcohol on Inflammation, Immunity, Infections, and Extracellular Vesicles in Pathogenesis. Cureus. 2024;16(3):e56923.
(5) Park SY, et al. The Effects of Alcohol on Quality of Sleep. Korean J Fam Med. 2015;36(6):294-9.
(6) Cui Y, et al. The longitudinal association between alcohol consumption and muscle strength: A population-based prospective study. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2019;19(3):294-299.
(7) Shaw AG, et al. Effect of Previous-Day Alcohol Ingestion on Muscle Function and Performance of Severe-Intensity Exercise. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2022;17(1):44-49.
