Beer Benefits: Health, Social, And Beyond

Beer is one of the oldest beverages in the world, with recipes found in Egyptian tombs, Mesopotamian archaeological sites, and Babylonian texts. Today, beer is consumed globally and is enjoyed by many.

Beer is made by fermenting grain into alcohol, and it typically contains 4-6% alcohol, but this can range from 0.5-40%. Beer is often viewed as empty calories, but it does contain some vitamins and minerals.

- Lower risk of heart disease

- Improved blood sugar levels

- Increased bone strength

- Reduced risk of dying from heart disease and stroke

- Maintaining thinking skills with aging

- Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

- Preventing ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori

However, heavy drinking (more than two drinks per day) is associated with negative health effects, including:

- Potential for addiction

- Reduced life expectancy

- Increased risk of liver disease

- Weight gain

- Cancers

Preventing heart disease

Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage that has been consumed for thousands of years. Drinking one or two standard beers per day (12 ounces or 355 mL) may have positive effects on your heart health.

Drinking light to moderate amounts of beer may reduce the risk of heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Several studies have shown that drinking one or two standard beers per day may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

A 12-week study of 36 overweight adults found that drinking one beer per day for women and two beers per day for men improved the antioxidant properties of HDL (good) cholesterol and the body's ability to remove cholesterol. Another study of 48 men with coronary artery disease found that drinking one beer per day for a month produced changes in blood chemistry associated with a reduced risk of heart attack, including decreased "bad" cholesterol, increased "good" cholesterol, increased antioxidant levels, and decreased levels of fibrinogen, a clot-producing protein.

However, it is important to note that these potential benefits are only associated with light to moderate beer intake. Heavy alcohol consumption can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, binge drinking can cause irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias. Therefore, it is recommended to stick to moderate levels of drinking and not overdo it.

Other Potential Benefits of Beer

In addition to potentially reducing the risk of heart disease, light to moderate beer intake may also be associated with the following benefits:

• Improved blood sugar control: Light to moderate alcohol intake may improve blood sugar control, which is an issue for people with diabetes. Several studies have found that light to moderate alcohol intake reduces insulin resistance and the overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Improved bone density: Low to moderate beer intake may be linked to stronger bones in men and postmenopausal women.
• Reduced dementia risk: Light to moderate alcohol intake may lower the risk of dementia, while heavy alcohol intake can increase the risk.

Negative Effects of Heavy or Binge Drinking

While light to moderate beer intake may have potential benefits, heavy or binge drinking can have several negative effects, including:

• Increased risk of early death
• Alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder
• Increased risk of depression
• Liver disease
• Weight gain
• Increased risk of certain cancers, including throat and mouth cancers

Improving blood sugar levels

Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage made by brewing and fermenting cereal grains with yeast, hops, and other flavoring agents. Drinking one or two standard beers per day may have positive effects on your blood sugar levels. Here are some ways in which drinking beer can improve your blood sugar levels:

• Light to moderate beer intake may improve blood sugar control, an issue for many people with diabetes. Several studies have found that light to moderate alcohol intake appears to reduce insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes, as well as the overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Beer can help prevent calcium deposits, a key component of kidney stones, from forming in the liver. Beer is also a natural diuretic, so it helps flush out the kidneys and bladder.
• Beer contains a variety of B vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, potassium, selenium, and B vitamins, because it is made from cereal grains and yeast.
• Drinking a low-alcohol beer with electrolytes can improve rehydration.

However, it is important to note that heavy and binge drinking can counter these benefits and significantly increase the risk of diabetes and other health issues, including depression, weight gain, and liver disease. Therefore, it is recommended to drink in moderation and only when your diabetes and blood sugar levels are well-managed.

Increasing bone strength

Beer is a drink made by fermenting sugars from starches. Barley, hops, water, and yeast are its major components. It can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

Drinking moderate amounts of beer can be beneficial to bone health in men and postmenopausal women. The silicon content of beer may be responsible for this effect. Beer is a good source of silicon, and silicon intake has been positively associated with bone mineral density.

A study by Tucker et al. found that moderate beer drinking of 1-2 beers a day was associated with increased bone density in men and women. Women who drank more than 2 beers a day had significantly greater bone density, but in men who drank more than 2 beers a day, density decreased.

Another study by Pedrera-Zamorano et al. found that beer intake was associated with a significant increase in the speed of sound transmission, suggesting an association with increased bone density.

However, it is important to note that excessive alcohol consumption can negatively impact bone health and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Improving cognitive function

While there is no good scientific evidence to support the use of beer for improving cognitive function, some studies suggest that light to moderate beer and alcohol intake may be associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline and better cognitive function.

A 2020 study from the University of Georgia found that light to moderate drinking may preserve brain function in older age. The study examined the link between alcohol consumption and changes in cognitive function over time among middle-aged and older adults in the US. It found that, compared to non-drinkers, those who had a drink or two a day tended to perform better on cognitive tests over time. The optimal amount of drinks per week was between 10 and 14 drinks. However, the study's lead author noted that it is hard to determine whether this effect is causal, and that non-drinkers should not start drinking to try to prevent cognitive decline.

A 2016 study also found that moderate, regular alcohol consumption was associated with higher cognitive function in older community-dwelling adults. The study examined the association between alcohol intake and cognitive function, controlling for age, sex, education, exercise, smoking, waist-hip ratio, hypertension and self-assessed health. It found that global and executive function showed positive linear associations with the amount and frequency of alcohol intake, while visual memory showed an inverted U-shaped association with alcohol intake, with better performance for moderate and infrequent drinkers than for non-drinkers, excessive drinkers or daily drinkers.

However, other studies suggest that drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol may lead to cognitive decline. A 2022 study found that having just three cans of beer a week is linked to having higher levels of iron stored in the brain, which is associated with cognitive issues. The study's authors hypothesised that drinking promotes cognitive decline. However, another expert noted that it is also possible that brain damage caused by alcohol leads to iron accumulation, rather than the other way around.

It is important to note that excessive drinking is associated with negative health consequences, including an increased risk of early death, alcohol dependence, depression, liver disease, weight gain, and cancers. Therefore, it is generally recommended to limit alcohol intake to no more than one standard drink per day for women and two for men.

Preventing kidney stones

Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage made by brewing and fermenting cereal grains with yeast, hops, and other flavouring agents. While it is often viewed as empty calories, beer does contain some vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, silicon, boron, magnesium, and potassium.

Beer is a diuretic, which means it can help pass more urine and, therefore, excrete small kidney stones. However, it is important to note that this method will not work for stones larger than 3mm, as the exit passage is only around 3mm. Additionally, beer can increase the risk of kidney stones in the following ways:

• Prolonged beer intake can cause dehydration, thus increasing the risk of kidney stones.
• Beer consumption can increase weight, and obesity is a risk factor for kidney stones.
• Beer contains constituents that can increase uric acid in the body, thus increasing the risk of uric acid crystals in the kidney.
• Beer contains oxalates, a type of compound that can contribute to the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones, the most common type of kidney stone.
• Beer is rich in purines, substances that can increase the body's production of uric acid. High levels of uric acid in the urine can lead to the development of uric acid stones.

Therefore, while beer may help pass small kidney stones, it is not recommended as a treatment for kidney stones due to the above risk factors. Instead, staying well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water, reducing salt intake, limiting foods high in oxalates (like spinach and nuts), and moderating protein consumption can help reduce the risk of developing kidney stones.

Frequently asked questions