Beer Drinking: Daily Habit Or Unhealthy Vice?

Drinking beer every day can have both positive and negative effects on your health. On the positive side, drinking one or two standard beers per day may have benefits for your heart, bones, blood sugar, and dementia risk. On the other hand, heavy drinking and binge drinking can lead to various health issues, including an increased risk of early death, alcohol dependence, depression, liver disease, weight gain, and cancer. The key is moderation, and it's important to stay within recommended limits of no more than one standard drink per day for women and two for men.

Beer and heart health

Positive Effects of Beer on Heart Health:

• Moderate drinking is generally defined as one drink per day for women and one to two drinks per day for men. This level of consumption is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, including a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, and heart attack when compared to non-drinkers.
• Beer may help prevent heart disease by increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as "good cholesterol." It also contains vitamin B6, which can help lower homocysteine levels, a risk factor for heart disease.
• Moderate drinking may also reduce the risk of congestive heart failure, especially in individuals aged 65 and older.
• Some studies suggest that light to moderate drinking can decrease the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease-related mortality, particularly in women.

Negative Effects of Beer on Heart Health:

• Excessive drinking is linked to an increased risk of heart conditions, including heart failure, stroke, cardiomyopathy, and high blood pressure.
• Binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more for men within a two-hour period, can lead to irregular heart rhythms or arrhythmias.
• Long-term excessive drinking can contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder affecting the heart muscle, and alcoholic liver disease, which can be fatal.
• Beer consumption can also increase the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and other health issues that indirectly impact heart health.
• For individuals with existing heart conditions, even moderate drinking may be inadvisable. Those with certain heart rhythm abnormalities or heart failure should avoid alcohol altogether.

Additional Considerations:

• The effects of beer on heart health are influenced by various factors, including age, gender, weight, and overall health status.
• The type of beverage also matters; fermented beverages like beer and wine, rich in antioxidants, may offer more cardiovascular benefits than spirits.
• The pattern of drinking is significant. Spreading alcohol consumption over the week may be more beneficial than binge drinking or heavy drinking on specific days.
• Other lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, can also influence heart health, and the positive effects attributed to moderate drinking may be related to these factors rather than alcohol consumption alone.
• While moderate drinking may have some benefits, it is important to note that not drinking at all is generally safer for heart health than starting or increasing alcohol consumption.

Beer and diabetes

Alcohol and Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Excess alcohol intake is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but the relationship between alcohol and risk of type 2 diabetes is complicated. According to a study, moderately consuming alcohol can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 30%. However, heavy drinking is considered to be at least five drinks per day (or 15 per week) for a man, and four drinks a day (or eight per week) for a woman. It is not fully understood why drinking can increase your risk of getting diabetes, but it is known that alcohol can reduce the function of different organs, including the liver and pancreas. When these two organs don't work well, it can make your glucose control worse.

Guidelines on Alcohol Units

To keep health risks from alcohol at a low level, it’s safest not to drink more than 14 units a week. These guidelines are the same for men and women. It is recommended that if you choose to drink up to 14 units a week, spread this over at least three days. This means you shouldn’t drink more than six medium glasses of wine or six pints of lager a week.

Alcohol and Blood Sugar Levels

If you have diabetes, alcohol can impact your blood sugar levels, increase your appetite, and reduce your medication's effectiveness. Alcohol can cause your blood sugar to drop very low, below 70 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL) – known as hypoglycemia. Your liver is the organ that stores and releases glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream. When you drink alcohol, the liver has a difficult time doing both of these jobs at the same time. It ends up breaking down alcohol instead of releasing glucose regularly. When this happens, your blood sugar levels aren't steady and can drop too low. This is even more likely to happen when you drink without eating any food.

Alcohol and Weight Gain

Alcohol stimulates your appetite and may affect your judgment, which may cause you to overeat and disrupt your blood sugar control. Alcoholic drinks often have a lot of calories, making it more difficult to lose excess weight.

Alcohol and Physical Impacts

Small amounts of beer and sweet wines can be high in carbohydrates, which can raise blood sugar temporarily. Drinking too much alcohol can increase triglyceride levels (fat in the blood) and your blood pressure.

Alcohol and Diabetes Medication

Alcohol can interfere with the positive effects of oral diabetes medicines or insulin. This is because alcohol can keep your liver from turning proteins and fats into carbohydrates when your body needs energy, such as during exercise or between meals.

Dos and Don'ts

• If you have diabetes, it may be best to avoid drinking alcohol. If you'd like to have the occasional drink, talk to your doctor first.
• If you have diabetes, you should drink in moderation. Do not drink more than two drinks of alcohol in a day if you are a man, or one drink if you are a woman.
• Drink alcohol only with food, and make sure to include some carbs.
• Mix liquor with low-calorie options such as water, club soda, or diet soft drinks.
• Wear a medical alert piece of jewellery that says you have diabetes.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels before, during, and after drinking.
• Make sure to have a carbohydrate source, such as glucose tablets, with you when you are drinking.
• Avoid combining alcohol with exercise because it increases your chances of low blood sugar.
• Avoid sweet wines or drinks mixed with sugary mixers, juice, or soda.
• Avoid drinking if your blood sugar is low.
• Avoid drinking if you are trying to lose weight.

Beer and cancer

Drinking alcohol raises your risk of developing several types of cancer, including:

• Head and neck cancer: Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of certain head and neck cancers. Moderate drinkers have a 1.8 times higher risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancers and a 1.4 times higher risk of larynx cancers than non-drinkers. Heavy drinkers have a five times higher risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancers and a 2.6 times higher risk of larynx cancers.
• Esophageal cancer: Alcohol consumption at any level is associated with an increased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The risk ranges from 1.3 times higher for light drinking to nearly five times higher for heavy drinking.
• Liver cancer: Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with approximately twice the risk of two types of liver cancer.
• Breast cancer: Epidemiologic studies have consistently found an increased risk of breast cancer with increasing alcohol intake. Light drinkers have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, while the risk is greater for moderate and heavy drinkers.
• Colorectal cancer: Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption is associated with 1.2 to 1.5 times the risk of cancers of the colon and rectum compared with no alcohol consumption.
• Pancreatic cancer: There is evidence accumulating that alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

In addition, drinking about 3.5 drinks a day doubles or triples the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. The risk of colorectal cancer and breast cancer is increased by 1.5 times with this level of alcohol consumption.

The more alcohol a person drinks, particularly over time, the higher their risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. Even those who have no more than one drink per day and binge drinkers have a modestly increased risk of some cancers. The combination of alcohol and tobacco use further increases the risk of developing these cancers.

While there may be some health benefits associated with light to moderate drinking, these benefits do not outweigh the potential harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption. It is recommended that individuals who do not drink alcohol should not start, and those who do drink should limit their consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.

Beer and the brain

Drinking beer in moderation is generally considered safe and may even have some health benefits. However, excessive drinking can have detrimental effects on the brain and body. Here are some key points about the impact of beer consumption on the brain:

Positive Effects:

• Improved cognitive function in elderly men: Elderly men with a history of drinking one alcoholic beverage per day tend to maintain better general thinking abilities during their late 70s and 80s compared to non-drinkers.
• Possible reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease: Some studies suggest that low to moderate alcohol consumption (one drink per day for women and two for men) may decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
• Improved brain health: Low to moderate alcohol consumption may benefit brain health and potentially reduce the risk of dementia later in life.

Negative Effects:

• Dependence and addiction: While not everyone who drinks beer daily is addicted, regular consumption can lead to dependence, disrupting your normal routine and putting you at risk of a substance use disorder.
• Brain shrinkage and damage: Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to devastating effects on the brain, including brain shrinkage and damage, increasing the risk of dementia.
• Nutrient deficiencies: Heavy drinking can deplete essential nutrients, such as B vitamins, and interfere with their absorption, potentially impacting brain health and cognitive function.
• Increased risk of mental health issues: Excessive drinking is linked to a higher risk of depression and anxiety, which can negatively affect brain function and overall well-being.

It is important to note that the effects of beer consumption on the brain are complex and not fully understood. While moderate drinking may have some benefits, excessive drinking can have severe negative consequences. It is always essential to drink in moderation and be mindful of your consumption habits to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol.

Beer and weight gain

Beer is often associated with weight gain, particularly around the belly, and is commonly referred to as a "beer belly". The more you drink, the higher your risk of weight gain. However, moderate drinking of one beer per day (or less) is not linked with getting a "beer belly".

Beer is high in carbs 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 12-ounce (355-ml) serving of regular beer with approximately 4% alcohol content contains 153 calories. A light beer, on the other hand, has about 103 calories.

Beer drinking may increase belly fat in a number of ways, including:

• Excess calorie consumption: Gram for gram, beer contains as many calories as a soft drink, so it has the potential to add a lot of calories to your diet.
• Preventing fat burning: Drinking alcohol can prevent your body from burning fat. This is because your body prioritizes the breakdown of alcohol over other sources of fuel, including stored fat.
• Phytoestrogens: The flowers of the hop plant, which are used to flavour beer, are known to be very high in phytoestrogens, plant compounds that can mimic the action of the female sex hormone oestrogen in your body. It has been suggested that the hops in beer might cause hormonal changes in men that increase the risk of storing belly fat.

However, other factors may also contribute to weight gain, such as binge eating. People often forget they are eating when they are drinking, especially if they are having a good conversation or are otherwise distracted. It is also possible to binge on vegetables and protein-rich foods instead of fatty and calorie-rich foods.

To minimise your risk of gaining weight, make sure to keep your alcohol intake within the recommended limits and lead a healthy, active lifestyle.

Frequently asked questions