Effects of moderate beer consumption on health and disease: A consensus document

Now you just have to ask your doctor which is better for you, beer or wine? They both can challenge your balance and help you recover that faster.
http://www.nmcd-journal.com/article/S0939-4753%2816%2930004-7/abstract?rss=yes

Giovanni de Gaetano^1,

,

Simona Costanzo¹

,

Augusto Di Castelnuovo¹

,

Lina Badimon

,

Dritan Bejko

,

Ala’a Alkerwi

,

Gemma Chiva-Blanch

,

Ramon Estruch

,

Carlo La Vecchia

,

Salvatore Panico

,

George Pounis

,

Francesco Sofi

,

Saverio Stranges

,

Maurizio Trevisan

,

Fulvio Ursini

,

Chiara Cerletti

,

Maria Benedetta Donati

,

Licia Iacoviello

¹promoted the Consensus review and equally contributed to the manuscript.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2016.03.007

Highlights

• •Large epidemiological studies have shown that moderate (1-2 drinks/day) alcohol consumption significantly reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The dose-effect relationship is characterized by a so-called “J-shaped curve”
• •Epidemiological studies also suggest that regular and moderate consumption of fermented beverages (wine and beer) confer greater cardiovascular protection than spirits, possibly due to their higher phenolic content. Part of the protective effects of beer and wine is due to their alcoholic content (ethanol) and another part to their non-alcoholic components (mainly polyphenols).
• •Health benefits of drinking in moderation have mainly been attributed to increase in insulin sensitivity, changes in lipid profile, increase in antioxidant capacity and decrease in systemic inflammation related to atherosclerosis, as well as to an enhanced ability to maintain endothelial integrity due to an increase in circulating endothelial progenitor cells.
• •The relationship between alcohol consumption and stroke is complex, in part reflecting the heterogeneity of this vascular disease. Specific data on beer are not conclusive, although some results indicate a positive role of drinking beer in moderation against ischemic stroke. Heavy alcohol (and beer) consumption increases the risk of stroke, both ischemic and hemorrhagic.
• •There is no specific cancer risk associated with beer as compared to other alcoholic beverages and, for similar level of consumption, the relative risks of cancer are similar for beer, wine and spirits.
• •Excessive alcohol use is detrimental to liver function and is a major public health problem. Alcoholic beverages contain other substances that may counteract the negative effects of alcohol on the liver. Experimental studies suggest that there are substances in beer (with antioxidant properties) that may even have a positive effect on the liver.
• •Epidemiologic studies indicate that moderate consumption of alcohol (not distinguishing among different beverages) protects against total mortality, both in healthy subjects and in cardiovascular patients. The effect is largely driven by a reduction in cardiovascular mortality. Specific data on beer are not conclusive, although some results indicate a positive role of drinking beer in moderation (1 drink/day) against total mortality. Heavy alcohol (beer) consumption increases the risk of death for any cause.

Abstract

A large evidence-based review on the effects of a moderate consumption of beer on human health has been conducted by an international panel of experts who reached a full consensus on the present document.
Low-moderate (up to 1 drink per day in women, up to 2 in men), non-bingeing beer consumption, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. This effect is similar to that of wine, at comparable alcohol amounts. Epidemiological studies suggest that moderate consumption of either beer or wine may confer greater cardiovascular protection than spirits. Although specific data on beer are not conclusive, observational studies seem to indicate that low-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. There is no evidence that beer drinking is different from other types of alcoholic beverages in respect to risk for some cancers. Evidence consistently suggests a J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption (including beer) and all-cause mortality, with lower risk for moderate alcohol consumers than for abstainers or heavy drinkers.
Unless they are at high risk for alcohol-related cancers or alcohol dependency, there is no reason to discourage healthy adults who are already regular light-moderate beer consumers from continuing.
Consumption of beer, at any dosage, is not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant women, individuals at risk to develop alcoholism, those with cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmias, depression, liver and pancreatic diseases, or anyone engaged in actions that require concentration, skill or coordination.
In conclusion, although heavy and excessive beer consumption exerts deleterious effects on the human body, with increased disease risks on many organs and is associated to significant social problems such as addiction, accidents, violence and crime, data reported in this document show evidence for no harm of moderate beer consumption for major chronic conditions and some benefit against cardiovascular disease.