Search resultsBeer and health: Preventive effects of beer components on lifestyle-related diseases
Title
Beer and health: Preventive effects of beer components on lifestyle-related diseases
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2005
Authors
Journal
BioFactors
Volume
22
Issue
1-4
Pagination
303 - 310
Date published
2005
ISBN
09516433 (ISSN)
Keywords
alcohol, alcohol consumption, Animalia, atherosclerosis, beer, bitter taste, cancer prevention, carcinogenesis, conference paper, health status, Hops, human, humulon, Humulus lupulus, insulin resistance, isohumulon, Isohumulones, lifestyle, Lifestyle-related diseases, lipid metabolism, non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, nonhuman, obesity, osteoporosis, oxidative stress, priority journal, prophylaxis, statistical significance, Type-2 diabetes, unclassified drug
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that the light-to-moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages is associated with significant reductions in all-cause and particularly cardiovascular mortality. While the inverse association between red-wine consumption and cardiovascular risk is globally recognized as the French paradox, many epidemiological studies have concluded that beer and red wine are equally beneficial. Moderate alcohol intake improves lipoprotein metabolism and lowers cardiovascular mortality risk. The question now is whether additional health benefits associated with the non-alcohol components in beer may be expected. This article summarizes the results of the latest studies on the health benefits of beer while referring to our recent results, which demonstrate the preventive effects of beer and its components on lifestyle-related diseases. A series of studies using animal models have shown that beer may prevent carcinogenesis and osteoporosis; beer provides plasma with significant protection from oxidative stress; and isohumulones, the bitter substances derived from hops, may prevent and improve obesity and type-2 diabetes, improve lipid metabolism, and suppress atherosclerosis. Further studies are needed to clarify the components in addition to isohumulones that are responsible for these beneficial effects of beer, and the underlying mechanisms must be addressed.