Why alcoholism saps muscle growth

In this article, mitochondria fusion in muscle cells was discovered. The researcher team led by Director of Jeffersons MitoCare Center showed that the mitofusin fusion proteins, was most important in skeletal muscle cells. They tested whether mitochondrial fusion was the culprit in examples of muscle weakness, such as alcoholism. The research showed that the abundance of Mfn1 went down as much as 50 percent in rats on a regular alcohol diet, while other fusion proteins were unchanged. This decrease was coupled with a massive decrease in mitochondrial fusion. Mfn1 and mitochondrial fusion was linked to increase muscle fatigue. Alcohol can have a specific affect on this one gene involved in mitochondrial fusion suggest that other environmental factors may also alter mitochondrial fusion.

I believe that alcohol plays a huge impact on the way people develop muscle as well as fatigue in different exercises.  I have experience in both of these actions and going to the gym the day after consuming alcohol, my body feels terrible. I lose my breath much faster and cannot produce as much as I would on a normal day.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196279.php