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Alcohol and weight gain

shmoony

While I agree 100% with calories in vs. calories out philosophy, I can't ignore the the fact that most of you would probably agree that calories from alcohol do not count in this equation. I am on the fence and I would like some scientific evidence to support one opinion or the other. If "all calories are the same", then why would 400 calories from vodka be any different than 400 calories from twinkies. If all your macros are met by food, and you are lookng for a 300 calorie surplus for weight gain, can that surplus be attained by alcohol? And if not, why not? The arguement creates a slippery slope fo those of us who believe in the IIMYM philosophy, because, if we say that alcohol calories are not the same, how do we argue that a twinkie is the same as quinoa and veggies, again with the assumption that calories are counted and macros met?

Replies

KANGOOJUMPS

nah

Amadbro

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11584159

BACKGROUND:
Acute and chronic alcohol intoxication decreases skeletal muscle protein synthesis under in vivo conditions. We investigated whether ethanol (EtOH) and its major metabolites, acetaldehyde and acetate, can directly modulate protein balance under in vitro conditions.

METHODS:
Human myocytes were incubated with different doses of EtOH for varying periods of time (i.e., 4-72 hr). Alternatively, cells were incubated with acetaldehyde, acetate, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), or with a combination of EtOH plus insulin or IGF-I. Rates of protein synthesis or degradation were determined by 35S-methionine/cysteine incorporation into or release from cellular protein.

RESULTS:
A significant, 15% to 20%, decrease in basal protein synthesis was observed after 24 hr, but not at earlier time points, in response to 80 mM EtOH. Incubation of myocytes for 72 hr decreased synthesis in cells incubated with EtOH ranging between 60 and 120 mM. The ability of IGF-I or insulin to stimulate protein synthesis was impaired by 30% and 60%, respectively, in cells incubated with 80 mM EtOH for 72 hr. Exposure of cells to 200 microM acetaldehyde or 5 mM Na-acetate also decreased basal protein synthesis. In contrast, neither EtOH, acetaldehyde, nor acetate altered the basal rate of protein degradation. However, EtOH completely impaired the ability of insulin and IGF-I to inhibit proteolysis. Finally, EtOH did not impair IGF-I receptor autophosphorylation, but inhibited the ability of insulin to phosphorylate its own receptor. EtOH also did not alter the number of insulin or IGF-I receptors or the formation of insulin/IGF-I hybrid receptors.

CONCLUSIONS:
We have demonstrated that EtOH can directly inhibit muscle protein synthesis under in vitro conditions. Neither EtOH nor its metabolites altered basal protein degradation, although EtOH did compromise the ability of both insulin and IGF-I to slow proteolysis. This impairment seems to be mediated by different defects in signal transduction.

EtOH (Ethanol) is what caused it..not "dehydration" LOL. You get an A for effort though

Read the study you just posted.

That is do do with the effects on protein synthesisation in vitro. The human body is not in vitro, it is rather in vivo and one should really not attempt to link the two.

Ok read the other 2 I posted which were not conducted in vitro. Like it really matters. Tell you what, you drink your alcohol and enjoy alllll those amazing gains. I find it funny how people find every way they can to defend something that destroys the liver among the other counterproductive things it inhibits towards fitness.

Do what you want and I'll do what I want. Best of luck in all of your future fitness endeavors.

"Like it really matters."? Bro, you in High School?

Arn't you a cheeky one. In vitro is all the scientific proof I need. That's just me, you enjoy your wine and I'll enjoy not having any alcohol. I'm not missing anything and evidently neither are you. It's my personal choice. I've read the studies and have posted them here, yet you discount them because they were in vitro. It may not be good enough for you, well that's fine but guess what? They're good enough for me. Good luck in all your fitness goals and I'm sure you'll pack on tons of lean mass.

BrentJulius

meh, most alcoholics are very skinny because they don't eat enough for days on end, although they tend to bloat in the face.

Alcohol does have 7 calories per gram but how it is metabolized is more complicated than that. If you believe that colories in vs. calories out are all to take into consideration when it comes to body composition..well. it isn't. Alcohol is not used as fuel, nor can it convert to glucose, glycogen or fat. Alcohol is a powerful diuretic and will dehydrate you pretty bad. The only good aspect after a night of drinking is that I'll have a more solid abs and be more vascular for a couple hours until I get back to homeostasis. You could definitely be bulking and have a beer a night, not for the alcohol , but the calories/carbs as long as you stick to a beer or 2, after that the benefits are eradicated by the alcohol.. It's full of electrolytes, b vitamins and has a positive effect on testosterone..

ninerbuff

Alcohol will cause you to gain weight but definitely not muscle. Alcohol eats away at muscle mass.

Wut? Where is the evidence for this?

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

scopetrek

Why not? Sure you will gain weight with alcohol...you will also die from cirrhosis of the liver if you abuse drinking for the sole purpose as a weight gainer. Need anymore reasons?

ECA67

My trainer told me that alcohol slows your metabolism.

buff_guyy

Alcohol is just terrible. Amadbro was right on with almost everything he mentioned in his previous posts.

heybales

My trainer told me that alcohol slows your metabolism.

They were wrong, speeds it up actually as the body tries to get rid of the toxin that is created from it. Read several posts that include what the body does when you drink.

nitepagan

To understand why Alcohol is so deadly for weight gain, one has to look at the chemical formula and/or chemical structure. Organic structures always are a carbon ring structure, around this ring structure are atoms of various types which define the chemical, most of the time it is an hydrogen atom. With alcohol one of those atoms or bonds are and the OH radical, radical, two atoms bound together as one unit. The OH radical is one atom of oxygen attached to one hydrogen atom. A bond is a connection between molecules in the chemical structure. So the alcohol molecules, the entire structure, I tried to explain is happy and makes people happy most of the time.

In the body, the alcohol molecule is treated like a poison, which in actuality it is, but people ignore that fact, because they like how it makes you feel. So now the body goes on alert and decides to make it into a more satisfying chemical substance. It sees that OH radical attacked to the alcohol molecule and thinks if I undo that OH radical and put something more pleasing there, then I will be happy, so that is what happens. With trading the OH radical with an atom of hydrogen this molecule becomes a molecule of sugar or glucose and the body has achieved happiness once again.

The body has side stepped all the hard work of breaking down the alcohol molecule into all it's component parts and reassembling it into something it needs. So now after a hard days night of drinking, the body slowly converts all this alcohol into glucose. Now the body is drowning in glucose, so what does it do, starts looking for places to stick the glucose, ahh, those fat cells are just around the corner.

After a couple days and the hangover is gone and the body is back in equilibrium, everything is back to normal or is it. The body has made an investment in energy storage, all that happy alcohol has been turned into glucose and stored in fat cells for future use.

So now what do you do, "Let's go out and have a few beers!!!" or is it "Lets go to the gym, I need to work off some of that fat that just appeared out of nowhere!!!".

eric_sg61

all that happy alcohol has been turned into glucose and stored in fat cells for future use.

Alcohol is turned into acetate which is burned off immediately by the liver. The body has no mechanism to store alcohol for future energy needs.

kyricus

The only thing I know for a fact, is that since I quit drinking 8 mos. ago, I've dropped 25 lbs and my gym performance and strength has increased. I've not really changed my workout routine much. I am eating more food, and I'm replacing the alcohol calories with real food calories.

Now is that weight loss due and improved gym performance due to quitting alcohol? Could be other factors involved, but the circumstantial evidence is pretty compelling.

BrotherBill913

I have a buddy IRl, last summer he dropped over 40lbs and I mean it showed. He isn't very tall about 5'8 . The only thing he gave up was beer. It happens...

shmoony

I am the OP and I am surprised at how many replies have been made addressing how bad alcohol is for weight loss.....DUH. We all know that. This is the "Goal: Gaining Weight" forum isn't it? My question was simply if alcohol can be used as for muscle gain if macros are met and you are looking for a calorie surplus. Thank you all for telling me that alcohol is bad for you and it made you fat and how much weight you lost when you stopped drinking, but that's not really the point here.

GoMizzou99

I lost 75 pounds while still having beer, bourbon and wine - just count the calories. BTW - I lost it in 18 months. I still drink it too.

Simple math: Calories out greater than calories in = weight loss.

skinnygirly23

Alcohol calories are not used to maintain your bodily functions. They will interfere with them.

Also, drinking tends to make bad food look really GOOD! Not to mention when I drink I get lazy, lose my energy and motivation. By no means will your body respond well to replacing a meal with shots of vodka.

SteveJWatson

Also, drinking tends to make bad food look really GOOD! Not to mention when I drink I get lazy, lose my energy and motivation. By no means will your body respond well to replacing a meal with shots of vodka.

All well and good, except the OP wants to gain weight.......

Sreneesa

That is why I am here now. Several months of drinking excessively put on ALOT of my weight on now.

Oppsss, just seen that my comment isn't relevant to what the person is asking. Sorrrryyyy....

skinnygirly23

I see. Alcohol is still hard on the body. Sure there are better alternatives.

shaneamckinney

Alcohol can be used post work out for an insulin spike, this is generally reserved for established body builders. It's very much in moderation and calculated.

pat_asai

I count my alcohol calories just like anything else, afterall it is sugar...

gabrielleelliott90

Alcohol is good for gaining weight as it actually stops weight loss.

https://www.myfooddiary.com/blog/archive/2012/4/26/4-ways-alcohol-prevents-weight-loss

rmerrifi

Yes, However, you have to do a macro count of like 50% Protien 40% Carbs and 10% Fat and still keep your total calories in check (due to the insidious nature of alcohol: A) Inhibiting fat loss until its all burned and

Whatever is left over turns to fat).

You'll also notice you're a little more sluggish in the gym due to hangovers; the lack of fat in your diet also leads to depression in some cases, but who cares?! It's fun while your'e drinking!

BROSCIENCE

rmerrifi

I am the OP and I am surprised at how many replies have been made addressing how bad alcohol is for weight loss.....DUH. We all know that. This is the "Goal: Gaining Weight" forum isn't it? My question was simply if alcohol can be used as for muscle gain if macros are met and you are looking for a calorie surplus. Thank you all for telling me that alcohol is bad for you and it made you fat and how much weight you lost when you stopped drinking, but that's not really the point here.

cmira5ol

Cheers!

Huffdogg

I may be wrong here, but I do believe that if you have alcohol involved in your caloric surplus, then weight added will go to fat preferentially. I'll need to research that, though.