Table of Contents
introduction
It is important to point out that that the study I am reviewing does not promote heavy drinking, or even drinking alcohol all the time.
alcohol or nutrients?
In this meta-analysis, looking into the Benefits of Drinking Beer, which was recently published in the international, peer-reviewed journal ‘Nutrients’, a team of nutrition and food science researchers in Spain examined studies from 2007 to 2020 that had all considered the effects of mostly alcoholic beverages on people’s health.
However, some of the studies suggested that the naturally occurring nutrients in the beer, and not the alcohol itself, were what delivered some of these health benefits. Since the choice of non-alcoholic beers has never been more abundant, parts of this study also mean good news for beer drinkers who abstain from alcoholic beer.
benefits of drinking beer in moderation
An important factor was that the researchers who conducted this meta-analysis found that to reap the benefits of drinking beer, moderate beer consumption was essential to experiencing the health benefits of beer. They suggest one drink per day for women and two for men is the maximum.
cardiovascular disease & the benefits of drinking beer
The researchers state that five of six studies they selected for review identified “a protective effect of moderate alcohol drinking on cardiovascular disease.” This was true for individuals who regularly drank up to 13.5 ounces of beer per week when compared to abstainers and occasional drinkers.
The researchers also stated that men abstainers had a significantly higher risk of developing abnormal glucose regulation than occasional beer drinkers, suggesting occasional beer consumption may be protective, against diabetes, in men.
bone health
When looking at bone density and risk of fracture among older individuals, the researchers stated that “very low levels of consumption were associated with a decreased fracture risk.”
For this variable, they suggest that the non-alcoholic components of beer may also be involved, they explained that other compounds present in beer (such as phytoestrogens) act synergically with silicon to stimulate osteoblast cells, which improve bone structure, and help with natural bone and tooth repair.
sarcopenia
I think bone health is a key aspect in this report, as we know there are 27,000 deaths a year in the USA from sarcopenia. The chances of dying within the first three months following a fall are 5 times more likely for women and 8 times more likely for men. Anything we can do to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis will have a positive effect on our longevity. To fend off sarcopenia, the benefits to drinking beer have to be looked at closely,
cholesterol
The researchers also highlight several studies which suggested that beer helps promote what they call ‘good cholesterol’ and helps regulate the body’s processing of ‘bad cholesterol’, thanks in large part to the antioxidants found in a well brewed beer.
It’s important to note that this was found when a very small amount of beer was consumed, between half an ounce and an ounce per day (that’s less than the average shot glass), but they didn’t conclude you lose all the benefit if you consume a little more.
conclusion
As was stated at the start, moderation is the name of the game. It is also important to consider the amount of beer that can be consumed to attract these benefits it is very small. There are undoubtedly Benefits of Drinking Beer, but there is also a downside, if you don’t drink sensibly.
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