Sunday, February 10, 2013

Muscle Repair and Alcohol -- 189 lbs (-40) [11X]


I went into this diet with a left shoulder injury, and as it didn't get better after several months, I suspected 2 issues:

● Not eating protein (or anything else) before or after exercise
● Drinking while metabolizing protein

It is widely known that protein is needed to repair and build muscle mass, and that protein is either used or lost once it is consumed. While the exact timing of the window of opportunity for protein synthesis is still under debate, my initial pattern of not eating ~10 hours before and after exercise was well outside of any plausible anabolic window.



It is less clear if alcohol interferes with protein anabolism, but given its ability to pre-empt and deplete other nutrients, it is reasonable to suspect that heavy drinking during muscle repair is suboptimal.

Given these observations, in December I started taking a combined casein/whey protein supplement after exercising, and avoiding alcohol for at least an hour after taking it. Also, in January started taking drinkwel mulitvitamins, which target nutrients depleted by alcohol. Although I haven't lost any weight over the last few months, I have maintained the weight I lost, repaired my shoulder, and increased my overall strength.



[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...
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