Beer And Weight Gain: Fact Or Fiction?

Drinking beer is often associated with an increase in body fat, particularly around the belly, otherwise known as a beer belly. But does beer really cause weight gain?

Beer is an alcoholic drink made from grain, such as barley, wheat, or rye, and is flavoured using hops. It is brewed in a five-step process and the strength of a beer depends on the amount of alcohol it contains, which is measured as alcohol by volume (ABV). The alcohol content of beer typically ranges from 4-6% but can be as weak as 0.5% or as strong as 40%.

Beer is high in carbohydrates and alcohol but low in almost all other nutrients. The calorie content of beer depends on its strength—the more alcohol it contains, the more calories it contains. A typical beer has around 150 calories, which is almost the same as pure fat. Drinking beer can cause weight gain, including belly fat, especially if you are consuming more than one beer a day or regularly binge drinking.

Beer contains lots of calories

The calories in beer can be converted to fat by an effect known as Hepatic de novo lipogenesis. Beer also gets blamed because alcohol calories are easy to overdo. If there is fat in your diet, it can be stored since the sugars in the beer give you energy, so the fat is not needed. Beer also contains sugar, and alcohol is high in kilojoules.

The more beer you drink, the more fat your body creates. For example, if a pint of beer contains 4% alcohol (or 22.7 milliliters), it will be at least an hour before fat-burning starts again. If you drink a six-pack (136 milliliters or 5 fluid ounces of alcohol), you won't burn fat for at least six hours.

Alcohol stops your body from burning fat

Alcohol is calorie-dense, and much more so than nutritious proteins, grains, and dairy. This makes it a more attractive energy source for the body. Like a child who is allowed to eat dessert before dinner, the body wants to process all of the alcohol in the system before it touches other foods that are also waiting to be digested.

“The alcohol must be fully eliminated before your body starts to break down any of the other energy sources,” explains Bay Area Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist (CAND) Jasmine France. Once that’s finished, the body will slowly work its way through sugar and simple carbohydrates before finally beginning to burn fat.

The body is attracted to the high-calorie content of beer, wine, and spirits, but it’s a love-hate relationship. “Your body considers ethanol, [the organic compound produced during fermentation], a toxin or waste product,” says France. “It will shut down all other metabolic pathways until the alcohol is out of your system.”

Working through ethanol can take the body up to 36 hours. That’s a full day and a half without burning any fat. Alcohol also affects your organs, especially the liver, which plays a role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Excess alcohol consumption can lead to alcoholic fatty liver, which can damage your liver and affect the way your body metabolises and stores carbohydrates and fats.

Alcohol increases your appetite

Alcohol can indeed increase your appetite, even if you are "'full'. Several factors contribute to this:

Firstly, alcohol suppresses the oxidation of fatty acids, which are crucial in regulating appetite. It also increases short-term thermogenesis, or calorie utilisation causing heat production, which means you may feel hungry again faster than usual.

Secondly, alcohol stimulates or inhibits neurochemical systems that play a role in appetite regulation. It affects the two primary hunger-regulating hormones: Leptin and GLP-1. These hormones suppress appetite and are either directly or indirectly inhibited when alcohol enters the body. As a result, you may start feeling hungry after a few drinks, even if you are actually "full".

Thirdly, alcohol stimulates the same neurons in the brain that are triggered when the body goes into starvation mode. This stimulation could even lead to ethanol-induced overeating.

Finally, alcohol reduces self-control, making it more likely that you will indulge in food cravings and overeating.

Beer contains phytoestrogens

The discovery of phytoestrogens in beer was made while investigating why women who handle hops start menstruating. It was found that hops have estrogenic activity, and this was confirmed in 1999 when 8-prenylnaringenin was identified. This discovery provided an explanation for the menstrual disturbances experienced by female hop workers in the past.

While the levels of 8-prenylnaringenin in beer are low and not considered a cause for concern, there is evidence that the compound can be biotransformed by the liver into isoxanthohumol, which may augment its estrogenic effects. Additionally, the intestinal microbial community can also convert this compound, potentially increasing its exposure concentration. This may explain why 8-prenylnaringenin can be detected in the urine of beer drinkers for days.

The presence of phytoestrogens in beer has led to speculation that drinking beer may cause hormonal changes in men, increasing their risk of storing belly fat. However, the direct effects of phytoestrogens on weight and belly fat are still unknown.

Alcohol is linked to other serious health risks

Firstly, drinking alcohol can increase your risk of developing heart disease. This is partly due to the weight gain associated with alcohol consumption, as visceral fat that accumulates around the organs in the abdomen, including the liver, can increase the risk of heart disease. However, alcohol can also directly affect the heart and blood vessels, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems.

Secondly, alcohol consumption is linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is because alcohol can interfere with the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels, leading to insulin resistance. Additionally, the weight gain associated with alcohol consumption can also contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Thirdly, alcohol can increase your risk of stroke. Excessive alcohol intake can damage the blood vessels and affect blood flow to the brain, increasing the likelihood of a stroke.

Furthermore, alcohol consumption is linked to an increased risk of liver disease. The liver is responsible for processing and breaking down alcohol in the body, and excessive alcohol intake can damage the liver cells and lead to conditions such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.

Lastly, alcohol consumption is also associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer. This is because alcohol can damage the cells in the body, including DNA, and interfere with the body's ability to repair this damage. Over time, this can increase the risk of cancer development.

It is important to note that the risks associated with alcohol consumption vary depending on the amount and frequency of drinking, as well as individual factors such as age, sex, and overall health status. Moderate alcohol consumption may not carry the same level of risk as excessive drinking. However, it is always advisable to drink in moderation and be aware of the potential health risks associated with alcohol consumption.

Frequently asked questions