2023-07-13 02:00:30
Here are four surprising and healthy things that can happen to your body when you stop drinking beer. (Shutterstock)
Made from grains, hops and yeast, beer contains nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, dietary fiber, selenium and protein, all of which contribute to human health. A 2013 study showed that the mere taste of beer can stimulate dopamine activity in men’s brains, which unleashes a sense of well-being and temporarily relieves everyday stress.
But in another study published in 2007, researchers found that, of all alcoholic beverages, people were more likely to drink beer to excess. The study looked at more than 14,000 adult alcoholics, 74.4% of whom drank beer only or mainly.
Although beer has a lower alcohol content than wine and liquor, beer still poses certain hazards, even when consumed in moderation. So, if you can quit beer, your body may experience some positive health effects.
1. Reduce waist size
Beer is notorious for its high calorie content, with a pint of regular beer containing more than 150 calories. Even the lager isn’t much better, still over 100 calories per pint. Since beer cannot replace basic nutrition, these extra calories in addition to the basic diet increase the burden on the body to burn fat, making weight loss difficult.
According to one study, men who drank 1,000 milliliters of beer a day, or roughly two pints, had a 17 percent higher risk of having an enlarged waist than those who drank less. A larger waist size increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Studies have found that people may also have abdominal distension and edema due to drinking beer. So, by reducing or quitting beer, you can lose weight and shrink your waistline.
2. Improved liver and heart function
Abstaining from alcohol, including beer and other alcoholic beverages, has many health benefits, including improved liver function and a healthier heart.
Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to various liver-related diseases such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer, according to a paper in Experimental and Molecular Pathology.
The liver has remarkable self-repair and self-healing abilities. For example, a fatty liver can be reversed in as little as two weeks after you stop drinking alcohol, according to a 2021 article in the journal Alcohol Research Current Reviews. While conditions such as alcohol-induced fibrosis and cirrhosis can occur after abstinence, existing scar tissue in the liver is preserved. However, a severely damaged liver is often irreversible and may increase the risk of cancer.
Alcohol-induced heart damage, including death of heart cells, can result from excessive alcohol consumption or chronic alcohol abuse. Alcohol can act as a toxin that weakens the heart muscle, leading to a condition called alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
When you stop drinking, certain alcohol-induced heart conditions can improve, including a reduction or disappearance of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, along with improved heart function, according to the 2021 article. In addition, some markers of heart health, such as heart rate and blood pressure, also improved to normal levels within a month of abstaining from alcohol.
While previous research has suggested the potential cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, more recent evidence has called this claim into question. Because of some bias in previous studies, factors unrelated to alcohol, such as dietary habits, financial stability and body weight, may have contributed to misleading conclusions.
Therefore, in order to enhance the function of the heart and liver, it is recommended to consider quitting beer.
3. Reduce the risk of hyperuricemia and gout
Regular beer contains high amounts of purines, organic compounds released when yeast and wort interact during the brewing process. When drinking beer, these purines will be metabolized into uric acid in the body. This can lead to elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, increasing the risk of hyperuricemia and gout.
Hyperuricemia is a term used to describe higher-than-normal levels of uric acid in the blood, often leading to gout. Gout is an inflammatory arthritis characterized primarily by pain in inflamed joints, which may also become red, swollen, and stiff.
4. Prevent beer allergy
Some people may be allergic to barley malt and wheat, which are commonly used in beer production. Symptoms of this beer allergy may include hives or rashes, and stomach cramps.
While beer allergies are rare and may affect about 6 percent of Americans with wheat allergies, its occurrence can catch people off guard. For example, a 32-year-old male patient presented with a beer allergy despite having no problems with other types of alcoholic beverages.
Some research suggests that a specific type of barley malt protein may be responsible for these allergic reactions.
Who should avoid beer?
Not everyone is suitable for drinking beer, the following types of people should stay away.
1. People with certain diseases
Brook McKenzie, chief operating officer of the Burning Tree addiction treatment program in Dallas, told The Epoch Times: “People with liver or kidney disease, pancreatitis, epilepsy or mental health disorders, and a history of alcohol-related accidents should abstain from alcohol. to protect their health and well-being.”
People with certain heart rhythm abnormalities should also avoid beer to prevent their condition from worsening.
People with diabetes or prediabetes should avoid drinking beer and alcoholic beverages in general, as this can exacerbate diabetes-related medical complications.
2. People who take drugs that interact with alcohol
Certain medicines, such as pain relievers (such as acetaminophen and NSAIDs), anxiety medicines (such as benzodiazepines), sleeping pills (such as zolpidem), antidepressants (such as phenelzine ), cardiovascular drugs (such as warfarin), and antimicrobials (such as erythromycin), which can react adversely with alcohol.
Drinking beer while taking these drugs has the potential to reduce their effectiveness, cause memory problems, and even lead to fatal outcomes from overdose or injury.
3. Patients with gluten allergy or celiac disease
Beer often contains gluten, which can trigger adverse reactions in people with these conditions. Gluten is a protein mixture found in grains such as barley, wheat and rye, and is commonly used in beer production.
original:4 Surprising and Healthy Things Happen to Your Body When You Stop Drinking Beer Published in the English “Epoch Times”.
Editor in charge: Wang Xiaoming
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