Is Beer Good for You? What Science Says

Thinking about this question, you probably think that the outright answer is “No.” Naturally, you wouldn’t be blamed for that. Beers can’t be good for you, can they? Well, let’s both figure out beyond the obvious answer. 

Cheers To That!

Beer has long been around since the age of the Sumerians at around 4,000 BCE. It’s quite fascinating to know that Germany is not the birthplace of much-beloved beer, although Germany is well-known for its drinking culture all too well. Nope! There has been proof that the ancient civilizations of the Sumerians in Mesopotamia have been brewing and fermenting barley.

There were artifacts discovered where the Sumerian people were depicted drinking something from a bowl with a straw. There were also some ancient artifacts of texts that gave devotion to the goddesses of brewing. It only goes to show that the art and tradition of beer-making go beyond the beer-drinking culture in Germany, where most people prefer to drink beer than in any other country. 

Effects of Beer on the Body

The typical effects of beer on your body are rather on the bad side. Especially if you’re not drinking in moderation, some of these unhealthy effects are problems like low blood sugar, drowsiness accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and even dehydration from vomiting too much. Some effects are more on the extreme side, which are alcohol dependence, high blood pressure, cancer, and destruction of the liver and kidney. 

These effects are never desirable but can be avoided if one can control his or her drinking habits. Drinking in moderation does help one still enjoy his or her preferred drink and not hurt himself or herself with the debilitating effects and results afterward. 

For Better or Worse

Despite the many frightening effects of drinking beer, it is still the most sought-after alcoholic drink by die-hard fans. But maybe there is some truth to their fascination and adoration of this well-loved drink.

There are indeed worse things that can happen when you consume too much beer, but there are some claims of health benefits that come from drinking beer. 

A 12-week study conducted last 2018 on the effects of moderate intake of beer on the cardiovascular health of overweight individuals results have been a surprise to some as individuals who have participated in the said study showed no significant change in their weight when they consumed moderate amounts of beer.

The researchers found that traditional beer, when consumed traditionally, increases the anti-oxidative properties of high-density lipoprotein or HDL and promotes cholesterol efflux or its smooth flowing out as well. HDL has been documented vaguely to have the ability to induce the efflux of cholesterol from cells which help with the accumulation of foam cells in the walls of the arteries in the heart.

HDL could also be of help with its antiatherogenic properties. Atherogenesis is the condition in which the walls of the arteries thicken due to LDL or low-density lipoprotein carrying fats into it. The HDL helps make sure that these fats get flushed out from the cells systematically.

Although drinking beer in moderation has resulted in the discovery that it increases the anti-oxidative capacity of HDLs in overweight individuals without any health issues, there is still no conclusive data to show that it could be said for everyone. 

The fact of the matter is that going just a tad bit over the prescribed moderate levels of drinking alcohol can cause fluctuations in one’s health. 

Bitter Sweet 

Beer isn’t exactly known for its sweet taste; the opposite could be said about its taste. However, one sweet thing about beer and other alcohol could be the result of a modest study about alcohol consumption where the results could be considered sweet for women who are in their postmenopausal stages.

In this 6 week study, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, beer included, has yielded results of an increase in insulin sensitivities, lipid profile, and adiponectin levels in postmenopausal women as well.

This is good, considering that having to deal with elevated levels of blood sugar coupled with the inability to flush out cholesterol from the cells will be quite harmful to any individual’s health.

Once again, the matter at hand is considering the amount of beer and alcohol intake of one person, and results like these in these studies are because of only taking into consideration the effects of these drinks on a moderate level of consumption. There is still a lot to consider before saying with full certainty that beer has all but good effects. 

Soothing to the Soul

Drinking beer or any alcoholic beverage has been tagged for its ability to encourage the release of endorphins, as some studies say. Endorphins are a kind of peptide that increases the level of pleasure and decrease the level of pain consequently.

This is why many have found it soothing to their souls to get a drink, at least one glass or bottle, before they sleep just to soothe those aching bodies, minds, and souls after a long day or night at work. All in all, beer is good if consumed in moderation, but there may be times when one has to truly consider if beer or any alcohol is good for them. 

One has to consider some factors in order to see objectively if beer is helping them in any way or when their level of consumption is beyond what can be considered moderate. Here are some of those factors. 

• Think about the effects of beer on your body, both the good and bad. Part of responsible drinking is knowing how much you can drink and what your drinking can cause to your body. 
• If keeping your drinking to a moderate level is hard, try examining the reasons why you drink in the first place. This will help root out the spur-of-the-moment drinking that adds to your beer consumption. 
• Tell others about your struggle and what you have decided to do about it. Letting others know that you have a hard time saying “No” to a cold bottle of beer, but you want to stop yourself from overdrinking can help as a way to monitor yourself. When good friends know that you have set a hard limit, they can help you stop yourself before you go beyond what you have set. 
• It’s always a good call to change your environment, go to a different place, don’t meet the same people, especially the ones who encourage you to drink more. This will help decrease the chances of you drinking too much beer in the end. 

When all is said and done, beer is not all bad but at the same time, it isn’t all good either; that’s why one must always find the perfect balance in life. 

Mark Simons

I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.