12 Feb Does Drinking Alcohol Increase Testosterone? 3 Factors to Consider
Do you think drinking alcohol can increase testosterone? Well, alcohol doesn’t have a good reputation when it comes to hormones like testosterone.
Heavy drinking is always linked with lower testosterone levels. However, contrary to the common belief, the data regarding moderate alcohol drinking is against the grain.
In fact, occasional alcohol intake is found to have a positive impact on testosterone production. But how does drinking alcohol increase testosterone?
Here we have busted the most common alcohol testosterone myth with scientific evidence. Read along to know what factors influence the effect of alcohol on testosterone.
Key Insights:
- Alcohol consumption is linked with testosterone decline, particularly with heavy intake.
- Research suggests moderate alcohol intake can actually increase testosterone levels.
- Age, gender, and type of alcohol consumption have a significant impact on testosterone levels.
- Maintaining a standard drinking size can contribute to better testosterone levels.
Thus, binge drinking has to be avoided at all costs because it doesn’t have any documented benefits for testosterone. Not to mention, an unhealthy amount of alcohol is not good for the liver as well.
You can try cutting off your alcohol-drinking habits gradually before going cold turkey. Let’s get into the details of how alcohol affects testosterone and how much you should be drinking to maintain a balanced hormonal secretion.
Does Drinking Alcohol Increase Testosterone?
“Alcohol is a testosterone killer but not when you consume it moderately”. That’s right!
The connection between alcohol and testosterone is not as easy and direct as you might think.
The common notion is that alcohol drinking can negatively affect your reproductive system, cause oxidative stress and cell damage, and lead to weight gain.
However, everything comes down to the quantity of consumption. The study published in Alcohol Clinical Experimental Research studied the effect of low alcohol doses on testosterone in men.
Notably, after the intake of alcohol – 0.5 g/kg, 10% w/v, there was an acute increase in plasma testosterone and an increase in the testosterone: androstenedione ratio.
The study analyzed that a slightly lower intake of alcohol has been shown to increase circulating testosterone levels.
The increase was from 13.6 nmol/L to 16 nmol/L after 2 hours of its consumption.
But that’s not it! If you are into exercising but don’t want to completely give up on alcohol consumption, the next observation might excite you.
As per the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, ingesting ethanol post-exercise can lead to testosterone increase.
In case you don’t know, most alcoholic beverages mainly include ethanol and water. 8 resistance-trained men completed two identical Acute Heavy Resistance Exercise Tests (AHRET).
These tests were separated by 1 week and post-AHRET, participants consumed either 1.09 g of grain ethanol per kilogram lean mass or no ethanol.
Notably, there was an increase in total and free testosterone levels 140-300 minutes after exercise.
Therefore, those who are into exercise and muscle building can take supplements to assist their testosterone boost.
Products like TestoFuel are designed to impact muscle growth development.
TestoFuel results are even witnessed by professionals like Robby Robinson. However, make sure to stick to the dosage.
Moving on, though it is true that alcohol consumption directly affects the Leydig cells lowering its ability to produce testosterone, the quantity is actually what matters.
Clearly, moderate alcohol does increase testosterone and the above studies have proven it quite well.
But when we are talking about ”moderate”, it’s crucial to know how much is too much.
How Much Alcohol is Good for Testosterone?
Binge drinking is typically consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short period leading to intoxication.
Moderate drinking on the other hand is consuming not more than 2 drinks in a day.
But when it comes to how much alcohol is good for testosterone, based on the study, 0.5 – 1.5 g/kg is not only safe but can even lead to testosterone increase.
However, as per the CDC, the recommended daily dose of alcohol intake is 2 drinks or less in a day for men or 1 drink or less in a day for women.
According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, one drink equates to:
- 1.5 oz. distilled spirits
- 5 oz. wine
- 8 oz. malt liquor
- 12 oz. of beer
It is also important to note that the unit of alcohol also varies from country to country but most of them contain 14% alcohol.
Therefore, the level of alcohol consumption should be based on that in case you don’t want to mess up your testosterone production.
Moving on from does drinking alcohol increases testosterone and how much to drink, several other factors actually influence the impact of alcohol on testosterone big time.
Factors That Influence the Effect of Alcohol on Testosterone
In assessing the impact of alcohol consumption on testosterone levels, we found clear distinctions between various factors. This includes:
1. Gender
2. Age
3. Type of Alcohol
While genetics and predisposition also have a wide effect, age, gender, and different types of alcohol give a conclusive picture.
#1. Gender
Alcohol is bad for everyone. However, women get to experience the same level of effects as men but only after consuming half as much alcohol.
For instance, daily alcohol consumption of as low as two drinks per day increases the risk of liver disease in women.
Whereas, at least 4 drinks a day can lead to this risk among men. Adding to it, as per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, women have higher blood alcohol levels than men. As a result, there is an immediate and long-lasting effect of alcohol on women in comparison to men.
#2. Age
You can see teenagers gulp a couple of bottles of beer and still be able to up with the sun the next day. This is not possible especially when you have reached your 30s.
It is because testosterone which is among the primary hormones fueling the male body starts to decline naturally.
Therefore, even if you are drinking the same quantity of alcohol its effect on testosterone levels and overall body is much more severe than before.
Aging basically increases the body’s sensitivity to alcohol. Additionally, the increasing age also contributes to higher blood alcohol concentrations.
The amount of water also depletes from the body as we age which adds to the increased higher blood alcohol concentrations.
This slows down the metabolism and alcohol stays for longer in the system before it metabolises. Therefore, the effect is more intense in comparison to adults and teenagers.
#3. Type of Alcohol You Consume
You read that right! Different types of alcohol have varied effects on health. It is because of its composition and level of alcohol in them.
The higher the alcohol by volume, the higher the alcohol content in them.
- 1.5 oz. distilled spirits (40% alcohol)
- 5 oz. wine (12% alcohol)
- 8 oz. malt liquor (7% alcohol)
- 12 oz. of beer (5% alcohol)
Not to mention, a lot of drinkers like to mix alcohol with diet beverages which worsens the effects of alcohol.
As per the reports, mixing alcohol with diet soda in comparison to regular one has significantly higher breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC).
So, the next time you are trying to hide your alcohol consumption, know that it’s only going to get worse.
Examining the impact of alcohol on testosterone busted the old wive’s tale and grabbed the attention towards a new horizon.
While the excessive consumption of any alcoholic drink is still dangerous, one can use it in moderate quantity to improve the T levels.
Undoubtedly, this is quite some information, and therefore we have come up with a list of frequently asked questions to help grasp it better.
FAQs
Alcohol consumption is common these days and since the connection between alcoholic beverages and testosterone has taken an unusual turn, it’s better to understand it inside-out.
1. Can one night of heavy drinking lower testosterone?
Yes, even one night of heavy drinking can largely impact testosterone levels and you might witness a large drop in testosterone value. However, the effect will be only for a day or two and it will bounce back to normal levels if you cease to consume any more alcoholic drinks.
2. How long does it take for testosterone levels to normalize after drinking?
If you are an occasional drinker, testosterone levels can get back to normal after 24-48 hours. However, in case you drink often, it entirely depends on how frequently and how much you drink.
3. What happens if a bodybuilder drinks alcohol?
As long as bodybuilders consume only 1-3 drinks, it’s not going to impact their muscle growth. However, more than 4-5 drinks can decrease the testosterone levels and will affect the muscle growth and development.
4. How does alcohol affect testosterone replacement therapy?
Continuing to drink heavily while undergoing testosterone replacement therapy will adversely affect the effectiveness of treatment.
5. Does non-alcoholic beer affect testosterone?
Non-alcoholic drinks contain only a trace amount of alcohol which is 0.5% ABV.
Interestingly, study reports have shown that consuming this much alcohol can increase testosterone levels than lowering it.
Therefore, drinking non-alcoholic beer benefits your male hormones.
Looks like alcohol content can actually dictate your testosterone levels consume it wisely.
Concluding Thoughts
If you are a heavy drinker, there is no doubt you can witness a significant decline in your testosterone levels. So, will quitting alcohol increase testosterone? Well, definitely it can. However, you don’t have to give up on alcohol consumption; rather try to stick to the moderate dosage.
Drinking any alcoholic beverage only 1-2 drinks per day can help you balance your testosterone levels.
Those drinks with 0.5% of ABV can even increase the testosterone levels.
However, the impact may vary depending on the age, gender, and type of alcohol.
Therefore, be mindful of it if you don’t want to experience the symptoms of low testosterone.
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