Last year, a study with 80,000 adults by the Pennsylvania State University found that one or two pints of beer a day could help reduce the risk of stroke or develop cardiovascular disease.
The research, conducted among Chinese adults, found that a moderate daily consumption of alcohol (more visible with beer) helps delay the decrease in high density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol to a greater extent than those who did not drink .
In fact, there are more surprising health benefits hidden in your beer glass than you might think (although, of course, always drinking in moderation).
1. Beer lowers the risk of kidney stones
Last year, one study suggested that the risk of developing kidney stones decreases with increasing beer consumption.
Finnish researchers, led by Dr. Tero Hirvonen of the Helsinki National Institute of Public Health, used their detailed study of 27,000 middle-aged men to conclude that “it is estimated that one bottle of beer per day reduces the risk by 40%” .
The study authors observed that both water and alcohol found in beer increase urine flow and dilute it, reducing the risk of stone formation. Alcohol can also “increase calcium excretion,” the main component of kidney stones, Hirvonen explained.
2. Beer protects you from heart attacks
A research team from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania discovered that stout and ale beers can reduce the incidence of heart attacks.
Atherosclerosis (when the walls of the arteries are filled with cholesterol and other fatty substances) causes heart problems, and Dr. Joe Vinson, a professor of chemistry and lead author of a 2000 study, revealed that beer can reduce the risk of This disease in half.
However, the researchers wanted to add that moderation is the key.
3. Beer reduces the risk of strokes
Studies by the Harvard Medical School and the American Stroke Association have shown that people who drink moderate amounts of beer can reduce the risk of strokes by up to 50%, compared to non-drinkers.
Ischemic strokes are the most common type of stroke. They occur when a clot blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. However, when you drink beer, your arteries become flexible and blood flow improves significantly.
As a result, blood clots do not form, and the risk of suffering a stroke decreases exponentially.
4. Beer strengthens your bones
Beer contains high levels of silicon, an element that promotes bone growth, but academics at Tufts University in Massachusetts found that while one or two glasses of beer a day could significantly reduce the risk of bone fractures, more of that would increase them.
Therefore, this study also stressed the need to drink in moderation.
5. Beer decreases the chance of diabetes
In 2011, Harvard researchers discovered that middle-aged men who drink one or two glasses of beer a day seem to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 25%.
Dr. Michel Joosten, visiting professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, studied 38,000 middle-aged men and concluded that beer alcohol increases insulin sensitivity, which helps prevent diabetes. In addition, beer is a good source of soluble fiber, a dietary material that helps control blood sugar and plays an important role in the diet of people with diabetes.
6. Beer reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s
Studies dating back to 1977 have suggested that beer drinkers may be up to 23% less likely to develop cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
However, despite the fact that statistics speak for themselves – one study surveyed more than 365,000 people – it is not known why moderate alcohol consumption can have a beneficial effect. One theory suggests that the known cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, such as raising good cholesterol, can also improve blood flow in the brain and, therefore, brain metabolism.
The silicon content of beer could also be responsible. It is believed that silicon protects the brain from the harmful effects of aluminum in the body, one of the possible causes of Alzheimer’s.
7. Beer can cure insomnia
Beer is a natural sleeping pill. Ale, stouts and lagers stimulate the production of dopamine, a compound that the doctor can prescribe to insomnia in the brain.
According to research conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine, simply trying beer increases the amount of dopamine in the brain and therefore makes drinkers feel calmer and more relaxed.
However, academics clarified that these effects are achieved after taking only a sip, so all you need is a small amount of 15 milliliters, the equivalent of a tablespoon of beer.
8. Beer can stop the falls
Too many pints and your vision will become blurred, but I consumed the right amount of beer and your eyes will benefit.
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario discovered that the antioxidants found in beer, particularly ale and stout beers, protect against mitochondrial damage.
Cataracts form when mitochondria (parts of a cell responsible for converting glucose into energy) of the outer lens of the eye are damaged. Antioxidants protect mitochondria against this damage and, therefore, the study authors recommend one drink a day to keep the eye doctor away.
9. Beer could cure cancer
Could beer cure cancer? The scientists at the University of Idaho believe so.
In January, at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers presented findings that suggested that a key ingredient in beer could be used in the fight against cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Acids called humulones and lupulones, which are found in hops, have the ability to stop bacterial growth and disease, and scientists hope to find a way to extract these compounds or synthesize them in a laboratory to develop active agents for the treatment of Cancer.
10. Beer helps you lose weight
It may seem strange, but researchers at Oregon State University seem to think that beer can help you lose a few grams.
The scientists published a study earlier this year that shows that a compound called xanthohumol, commonly found in hops, can reduce the chances of an individual developing metabolic syndrome, a condition that indicates obesity, high blood pressure, blood sugar and high density lipoproteins. (HDL) cholesterol levels.
Sadly, the researchers concluded that humans would have to drink more than 3,500 pints of beer a day to feel the benefits of the “miraculous” compound, and by that time they would need a miracle to be alive.
