Hi guys im curious about how alcohol will affect my training. I dont drink alot but just wonder really what EXACTLY is happening with regard to gaining muscle mass.

Say HYPOTHETICALLY you train arms and shoulders monday and thursdays and chest and back on tuesdays and fridays with wednesday as a rest. You always go out and get lashed off your head on a monday and thursday. Does this mean the alcohol will hinder muscle growth and you'll get disproportioned arms and shoulders in comparison to your chest and back??
How much disafference does it make to muscle regrowth?

I know it effects my growth. I can see it if I train chest and drink that night. My gains aren't as big as when I do drink. Within the next couple of days after you drink you can see what I am talking about. You can just tell. Best to keep it minimum.

Alcohol and drinking, in my experience, hinders gains. I can train like a beast and go out drinking for a night and the next day I am FLAT!!!! I hate it. In my personal opinion use your head when having a few. Don't over do it and you will be fine. If you are cycling don't do it at all. Why waste your hard earned money? Save the partying for after.

Alcohol dehydrates body which causes hangovers headaches hence the "flat " feeling.. evening alcohol consumption effects late night poor eating habits, effects liver drastically especially if on orals. Try to go to failure after a night of heavy drinking. excessive alcohol also effects sleep patterns which studies show REM / deep sleep effects effects growth hormone and protein synthesis. Best to not over do it.

agreed,alcohol is a BIG no no when it comes to bodybuilding,especially on a cycle,plus I dunno about you lot but I can't eat properly the next day so to me its a night and a day wasted!!!just stick to a few beers,no need to go over the limit!

Bump that....
I can only DRINK! or NOT DRINK....so I stay away completely when training hard. Those orals need a careful approach especially. I handle a lot of chems with my job, and I am extra careful to protect my skin when taking any methylated/alkylated stuff... even from gas and oil, as they absorb in the skin and need removed by the liver and kidneys.
I may sound like a pans but I dont even use household cleaners when cycling orals.

I drink once in a great wile. If I do drink with some buddys I'll have a few light beers. I'm a light weight when it comes to drinking now ( durring summer time Ill go out once a week or so but thats it.) I find that drinking for me dosnt hurt my body as bad as the food I eat after I drink. I dont really drink to get hammered but I will get .. feeeeling goooood. but than once im like that, when on my way home I seem to get stuck at McDeez drive through, or at a pizza place thats open down the road from the bars I go to. or eating left overs at my house. so for me, drinking isnt really that bad but its the after effects. either way, i avoid it when im training hardcore or on a cycle for sure.

What about Wine?
is this just as bad as beer, or should you just cut it all out all together?

Iam not on cycle right now, and never drank while on cycle.

But was wondering if wine has the same effect as beer would for hurting your gains even off cycle?

Wine has an effect on your health that beer doesn't...especially muscat wines. The muscat grapes are high in resveratrol. This substance has been linked with many health benefits related to anti-aging and overall health, not to mention the effects on the cardiovascular system from the tannins in red wine. Beer that still has living yeast in it has a high level of vitamin B. If a beer contains a large amount of hops it has antiviral and antifungal properties, and the hops has a calming effect as well. When either wine or beer is consumed in quantities that exceed the bodies ability to metabolize alcohol, the liver is taxed and the body becomes "sickened" by the alcohol byproduct Acetaldehyde. At this point all beneficial factors the beer or wine will be outweighed by the negative effects of the intoxication(more than 1 ounce ethanol per hour). So in my opinion both wine and beer have the same health benefits pound for pound, but when overly consumed it really doesn't matter.
I myself have brewed and aged many forms of wine and beer, such explains my knowledge on the subject, but my opinion may differ from another with different experiences...either way...one or two good...any more bad.

Great Post atothek78;19022