US scientists have found that light beer is very beneficial for the intestines (4 photos)

A foamy, intoxicating beverage, like wine, creates favorable conditions for intestinal microflora when consumed in moderation. This was reported by American scientists in a new study. The findings were published in the American Chemical Society's journal ACS Agriculture and Food Chemical.





In one experimental study, experts reported that men who drank alcoholic or non-alcoholic lager daily had more diverse gut microbes, which could reduce the risk of several diseases.



Trillions of microorganisms inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract and directly impact human health.

Studies have shown that the more bacterial species inhabiting the gut, the lower the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. And since beer contains compounds such as polyphenols, as well as the microorganisms resulting from their fermentation, this beverage may influence the diversity of microbes in the human gut.

A previously published cross-sectional study found that gut microbiota diversity increased when men and women consumed non-alcoholic light beer for 30 days. Many of the same people were in the second group, who drank beer with alcohol and did not experience the same effect.





In this double-blind study, 19 healthy men were randomly divided into two groups, each drinking 330 ml of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beer with dinner for 4 weeks.

The researchers found that participants' weight, body mass index, and serum markers of heart health and metabolism remained unchanged during the study. However, by the end of the month, both groups had greater bacterial diversity and higher levels of fecal alkaline phosphatase in their gut microbiome, indicating improved gut health.



The researchers speculated that these results may differ from previous observations due to different testing regimens and because the participants were members of different communities. Based on this pilot study, the scientists stated that drinking a bottle of beer, regardless of its alcohol content, may be beneficial for the gut microbiome and gut health of men. They also noted that non-alcoholic beer may be a much healthier choice, as it contains the safest level of alcohol consumption, i.e., zero alcohol.