The Surprising Health Benefits of Drinking Beer

National Beer Day seems like as good a reason as any to savor a pint of the amber nectar (though not Fosters, obviously – these days the selection on offer is much better than that).

And here's another: that same glass of beer could actually help you live longer.

Last year, a study of 80,000 adults conducted by the Pennsylvania State University found a pint or two a day could help reduce the risk of having a stroke or developing a cardiovascular disease.

The research, conducted among Chinese adults, discovered that a moderate daily alcohol intake (most visible with beer) helps slow the decline of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, better than not drinking at all.

In fact, there are more surprising health perks hiding in your pint glass than you may think (though, of course, you should always drink in moderation)

Beer lowers the risk of kidney stones

Last year, a study suggested that the risk of developing kidney stones decreases with increased beer consumption.

Finnish researchers, led by Dr. Tero Hirvonen of the National Public Health Institute of Helsinki, used their detailed study of 27,000 middle-aged men to conclude that "each bottle of beer consumed per day was estimated to reducing the risk by 40%".

The study authors noted that both the water and alcohol found in beer are shown to increase urine flow and dilute urine, thereby reducing the risk of stones forming. Alcohol may also "increase the excretion of calcium," the prime constituent of kidney stones, said Hirvonen.

Beer protects you from heart attacks

A research team at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania found that dark ales and stouts can reduce the incidence of heart attacks.

Atherosclerosis, when artery walls become furred-up with cholesterol and other fatty substances, is known to cause heart problems, but Dr Joe Vinson, a professor of chemistry and lead author on a 2000 study, revealed that beer can cut the risk of this disease by as much as half.

However, the researchers were keen to add that moderation was key.

Beer reduces the risk of strokes

Studies by both the Harvard Medical School and the American Stroke Association have shown that people who drink moderate amounts of beer can cut their risk of strokes by up to a 50% compared to non-drinkers.

Ischaemic strokes are the most common type of stroke. They occur when a blood 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, no blood clots form, and your risk of having a stroke drops exponentially.

Beer strengthens your bones

Beer is known to contain high levels of silicon, an element that promotes bone growth.

But you have to get the balance right. Academics at Tufts University in Massachusetts found that whilst one or two glasses of beer a day could significantly reduce your risk of fracturing bones, more than that would actually raise the risk of breakages.

So be careful when you visit the pub: if you drink too much, your bones will be weakened and those drunken nightime tumbles could result in nasty fractures. Drink the right amount, however, and you'll walk home with your bones and dignity intact.

Cheers!

Beer decreases the chance of diabetes

In 2011, Harvard researchers found that middle-aged men who drink one or two glasses of beer each day appear to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 25pc.

Dr Michel Joosten, a visiting professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, studied 38,000 middle-aged men, and concluded that the alcohol content in beer increases insulin sensitivity, which helps prevent diabetes. Additionally, beer is a good source of soluble fiber, a dietary material that helps to control blood sugar and plays an important role in the diet of people suffering from diabetes.

So, whether you've got diabetes or not, a glass of beer is just what the doctor ordered.

Beer reduces the risk of Alzheimer's

Studies dating back to 1977 have suggested that beer drinkers can be up to 23% less likely to develop cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

However, despite the statistics speaking for themselves, one study surveyed over 365,000 people, it is unknown why moderate drinking can have a beneficial effect. One theory suggests that the well-known cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, such as raising good cholesterol, also can improve blood flow in the brain and thus brain metabolism.

The silicon content of beer could also be responsible. Silicon is thought to protect the brain from the harmful effects of aluminum in the body, one of the possible causes of Alzheimer’s.

Beer can cure insomnia

Beer is a natural nightcap. Ales, stouts and lagers have been found to stimulate the production of dopamine, a compound that may be prescribed to insomnia sufferers by a doctor, in the brain.

According to research undertaken at the Indiana University School of Medicine, simply tasting beer increases the amount of dopamine in the brain - and thus make drinkers feel calmer and more relaxed. However, the academics clarified that these effects are achieved after only a taste, and so a paltry 15 milliliter serving is all you need - the equivalent of one tablespoon of beer.

Beer can stop cataracts

Too much and your vision will get blurry, but consume just the right amount of beer and your eyes will benefit.

Researchers at the University of Western Ontario found that the antioxidants found in beer, particularly ales and stouts, protected against mitochondrial damage.

Cataracts are formed when the mitochondria, parts of a cell responsible for converting glucose into the energy, of the eye's outer lens are damaged. Antioxidants protect the mitochondria against this damage, and therefore the study authors recommend one drink a day to keep the eye doctor away.

Beer might cure cancer

Could beer cure cancer? Scientists at the University of Idaho think so.

In January, at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers presented findings that suggested 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, possess the ability to halt bacterial growth and disease, and scientists hope to find a way to extract these compounds or synthesize them in a lab in order to develop active agents for cancer-treating pharmaceuticals.

Beer helps you lose weight

It may seem a strange one, considering we've named the 'beer belly' after the weighty effects of alcohol, but researchers at the State University of Oregon seem to think that beer can help you shed some pounds.

The scientists published a study earlier this year showing that a compound called xanthohumol, commonly found in hops, can lower an individual's chances of developing metabolic syndrome, a condition that indicates obesity, elevated blood pressure, increased blood sugar, and bad high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels.

Sadly, the researchers concluded that humans would have to drink over 3,500 pints of beer a day to feel the benefits of the 'miracle' compound – by which point they'd need a miracle just to be alive.

By Mariam Surmanidze