Drinking lager is GOOD for your gut health, studies claim — but researchers say you should only drink one a day and keep it non-alcoholic
- Researchers have found that a daily lager can boost the good bacteria in your gut
- Portuguese scientists found that non-alcoholic lagers had the same effect
- It is believed that a greater diversity of bacteria in the gut reduces the risk of heart disease
A beer with dinner is really good for you – but make sure you stick to one.
Researchers found that men who drank a lager every night had healthier guts.
It could theoretically lower the risk of developing diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
But the Portuguese study won’t reignite the never-ending controversy surrounding alcohol’s health benefits.
That’s because non-alcoholic lagers seem to have had the same effect.
Experts from NOVA University of Lisbon recommended 0 percent offers because “the safest level of alcohol consumption is none”.
Portuguese researchers have found that one brew a day can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes by boosting the good bacteria in your gut
Nineteen healthy males, between the ages of 23 and 58, were asked to drink 12 oz bottles of Super Bock lager with dinner every night for one month.
About half of the beers contained 5.2 percent alcohol, the others were non-alcoholic.
However, there was no control group.
The volunteers were instructed not to change what they usually ate or drank or to change the way they exercise during the study.
At the end of the experiment, there was no visible difference in the men’s weight, fat mass, or cholesterol levels.
Analysis of fecal samples taken before and after the study showed they had a wider range of bacteria in their gut.
Both groups had a similar increase in the order of 7 percent.
The researchers said the study showed that drinking a bottle of beer, regardless of its alcohol content, can be beneficial for men’s gut health.
While the study only looked at lager beer, all types of beer are expected to have the same effect on microbiomes.
The authors said that beers with higher percentages of yeast, such as unfiltered beers, could have an even greater effect.
Beer is thought to improve the microbiome — the collection of bacteria and fungi that live inside us — because it contains polyphenols.
The NHS recommends that adults drink no more than 14 units a week – that’s 14 single shots of spirits or six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of wine
These are micronutrients found naturally in plants and beer is the only source of hop polyphenols in the human diet.
Hops are used almost exclusively by the beer industry to give beers their distinctive flavors and bitterness, particularly in Indian pale ales.
It’s thought the polyphenols can get into the stomach, where they can help control which bacteria thrive.
The researchers said, “Reduced bacterial diversity has been linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
But heavy drinking is incredibly dangerous, as studies suggest that just one glass of wine or a pint of beer every night in middle age can age your brain by two years.
Alcohol abuse is linked to several types of cancer, liver disease, pancreatitis, heart failure and brain damage.
The NHS recommends that adults drink no more than 14 units a week – six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of wine.
The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT DISCOVER YOUR RISK
A screening tool widely used by medical professionals is the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests). Developed in partnership with the World Health Organization, the 10-item test is considered the gold standard for determining if someone has a problem with alcohol abuse.
The test is reproduced here with permission from the WHO.
To complete it, answer each question and record the corresponding score.
YOUR RESULT:
0-7: You are within reasonable drinking range and at low risk for alcohol-related problems.
Above 8: Indicates harmful or dangerous drinking.
8-15: Medium risk. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk of developing problems with your health and life in general, such as: B. Work and relationships. Consider reducing it (see below for tips).
16-19: Higher risk of complications from alcohol. At this level it can be difficult to self-reduce as you may be dependent and may need professional help from your GP and/or a counselor.
20 and older: Possible dependency. Your drinking is already causing you problems, and you may very well be addicted. You should definitely consider quitting gradually, or at least reducing your alcohol consumption. You should seek professional help to determine your level of dependence and the safest route to withdrawal from alcohol.
Severe dependence may require medically assisted withdrawal or detoxification in a hospital or specialist clinic. This is due to the likelihood of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms within the first 48 hours, requiring specialist attention.