Beer and steroids
Be or not to be
Probably, drinking alcohol is not a habit of people who take steroids for the purpose of physical performance but there are days when one has to attend some venue where he may afford a couple of drops. Here the questions arise. Is it safe to have a drink before or after exercises? Can you drink beer while taking steroids? Is this crucial for the result and even for health? The answer is “The athlete must not consume spirits if they have started a steroid cycle”.
Usually the athletes refuse spirits with or without steroids following their strict sports regimen. But beer is a particular case. It is thought that beer is a rich source of carbohydrates being good for muscle growth and mass gain. This is a matter of opinion. Also, the alcohol by volume in beer is very low. That is why they think that a glass of beer will not do any harm. But actually spirits with any alcoholic content are not allowed when steroids are taken. The simplest reason is because such a mixture will trigger catabolism which will cause decreasing in muscle mass.
Beer is the cause of some health risks
Any alcoholic beverages are not recommended to athletes. Even if we do not speak about beer and steroids, this drink can be a reason of some health concerns including:
beer usually worsens the reaction of the muscle fibers to the exercise stress;
it makes the blood sticky and sooner or later that will lead to a heart attack, atherosclerosis, and even stroke;
being a source of estrogen, it affects the hormonal system reducing the amount of testosterone in the body;
it may lower the level of growth hormone interfering with functions of the kidneys and liver.
The strong recommendation is to forget about beer as there are so many other ways to relax within a healthy lifestyle.
What exactly happens when you take beer and steroids?
Many studies insist that beer impacts the athlete’s body negatively. Here there are some negative results of steroids and beer mixed in one body:
Secretion of destructive catabolic hormones happens.
Testosterone level decreases leading to reduction of muscle mass.
Sexual activity and sperm count decrease.
Estrogen level increases leading to gain of subcutaneous fat.
There is a risk of breast enlargement in men.
Metabolism of fats is destroyed.
The issues with immunity may begin.
Disturbed sleeping is possible.
Gastrointestinal tract function worsens.
Problems with protein synthesis, caused by developing the properties of hormone cortisol, are possible.
Muscle fibers will get dehydrated and destructed.
Liver and kidneys will suffer heavy loads.
Body will lose important minerals and vitamins.
You should know that beer can be compared with steroids due to its high estrogen content. Moreover, when you take alcohol, you stimulate the growth of estrogen receptors in the body. Thus the beer taken with steroids will cause depositing fat. And when you take steroids, you want to build a beautiful strong body but misuse will provide the opposite result.
In addition, a continuous consumption of beer and steroids may cause psychological dependence and addiction which will be added with a withdrawal syndrome following the attempt to stop and improve the situation. It includes such conditions as the mood disorder, anorexia, fatigue, insomnia, decreased libido, pain in muscles and joints, and others. Do not forget about psychoactive effects which are highly possible. The athlete may become aggressive and irritable. He can suffer paranoia even. Sooner or later he will face serious physical health problems. We’d even skip such relatively minor issues as acne, loss hair, mood disorders, and fluid retention.
There is only one positive moment in such a dangerous mixture. This is a significant psychoactive issue. The psychotropic substance in a steroids’ formula will depress the nervous system and a person will laugh for no reason for some time until the described issues start developing.
There is no doubt what should be the answer when somebody asks: “Can you drink beer while on steroids?” Drinking of any alcohol including beer must be avoided when steroids are taken. It will prevent an athlete from achieving his bodybuilding goals and ruin his health. If you disregard the above arguments, get ready to increase calories and build the fatty deposits to begin with.