Alcohol consumption and hormonal alterations related to muscle hypertrophy: a review

Abstract

Detrimental effects of acute and chronic alcohol (ethanol) consumption on human physiology are well documented in the literature. These adversely influence neural, metabolic, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions. However, the side effects of ethanol consumption on hormonal fluctuations and subsequent related skeletal muscle alterations have received less attention and as such are not entirely understood. The focus of this review is to identify the side effects of ethanol consumption on the major hormones related to muscle metabolism and clarify how the hormonal profiles are altered by such consumption.

Keywords: Alcohol; Hormones; Muscle hypertrophy; Protein synthesis.

Figure 1

Molecular interactions between EtOH and IGF-1. Metabolic pathways and signals of IGF-1: The schematic representation emphasizes the primary role of the cascade PI(3)K/Akt [25]. The figure also shows where alcohol impairs muscle hypertrophy mechanisms.

Figure 2

Plasma cortisol concentrations after EtHO ingestion. Plasma cortisol concentrations measured from the beginning of the infusion period every 30 minutes for 2 to 24 hours. The infusion of 1.75 g/kg of ethanol significantly increased maternal plasma cortisol concentrations at 1, 1.5 and 2 hours compared to all other treatment groups. Reprint with permission by Ramadoss et al. [99].