Many of us drink alcohol occasionally, and heavy drinking is a topic that gets a lot of attention.
We are often told that alcohol can increase the risk of many health problems, including heart and liver disease. However, alcohol can also affect the function and health of muscles and joints.
The main effects of alcohol on muscles and joints include:
1. Alcohol causes inflammation
In general, heavy drinking has an inflammatory effect on the body. This can make inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and gout worse.
Additionally, some types of alcohol are high in sugar, which is known to trigger the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. A single ready-to-drink alcoholic drink (250ml) can contain up to 8 teaspoons of sugar. However, guidelines state that adults should not consume more than 7 teaspoons (30g) of sugar per day.
However, there is no regulation on ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks to list the amount of sugar they contain, so people may not know how much they are drinking.
Solution: Make sure you know how much sugar is in your drink of choice by checking the label first. As a general rule, spirits, wine and beer contain the least sugar, while cocktails and mixed drinks contain the most.
2. Alcohol makes it harder to build muscle
Human growth hormone (HGH) is needed to help build and maintain both muscle and collagen. Collagen is the connective tissue found in tendons and ligaments. Because alcohol can disrupt the function of HGH, this can affect your ability to build muscle.
Human growth hormone is produced when we sleep, and because alcohol often disrupts sleep, the amount of this hormone produced may be reduced.
Alcohol can also increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has the effect of reducing HGH levels.
Solution: It’s really important to know the alcohol guidelines. We’re advised to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. To put that into perspective, there are just over 2 units in a standard glass of wine or a pint of beer. This means that 6 glasses of wine or 6 pints of beer combined will make up your weekly alcohol allowance.
3. Alcohol can make your body ache
Alcohol can aggravate existing joint pain and lead to body aches and cramps due to dehydration.
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases the amount of urine produced. This can cause dehydration as the body loses more fluid.
Also, when we drink alcohol, we don’t drink enough water to stay hydrated and counteract the diuretic effect of alcohol.
Solution: If you drink alcohol, replace your drink with a glass of water to stay hydrated. Plus, it can help prevent a nasty hangover the next morning.
4. Alcohol hinders muscle recovery
When you exercise, a healthy immune system is essential to support your performance and promote muscle recovery. However, alcohol can put pressure on your immune system, especially when consumed in excess, preventing it from functioning properly, which can impair muscle recovery.
Alcohol affects myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) levels (MPS helps the body respond to exercise), so if you exercise less efficiently due to drinking, your muscle recovery and repair after a period of activity is also hindered.
There is also the issue that alcohol reduces your ability to recover effectively after exercise. Resting after exercise is important and without it, a number of problems can arise including reduced muscle strength, reduced range of motion and muscle swelling.
5. Alcohol relaxes muscles
Have you ever had too much to drink and found your muscles feeling more relaxed than usual? This is related to the fact that alcohol slows down the function of the nerves that transmit signals throughout the body. As a result, coordination, balance, reaction time and precision of movement can all be affected.
Solution: The amount of alcohol a person can drink before it starts to take effect will vary from person to person, depending on factors such as height and weight. Some people also find it easier to clear alcohol from their system than others.
