At least since the craft beer wave made its way into Germany, the hop drink has become an integral part of everyday life for some. Whether with friends or alone, drinking beer every day, is often dismissed as rather harmless. But very few people know what the consequences of daily consumption really are.
Drink beer every day: Only if you can live with 3 things
First of all, a damper for all beer lovers: There is – and this has been scientifically proven – not even the smallest amount of alcohol that is not harmless. The World Health Organization and various studies have long shown how harmful alcohol consumption can be. This also applies to the habit of drinking beer every day.
But not everyone knows what the exact consequences are. Some of them sound very unpleasant and not very desirable.
#1 Weight Gain
At least what most people know: Drinking beer every day can make you fat. A small beer (0.33 liters) provides you with around 150 calories (kcal) on average. So if you keep the amount per day low, you don’t have to worry. More than one of these will quickly add quite a bit to your daily calorie allowance. Within a month, that can already put your weight up.
Worse, even moderate alcohol consumption can stimulate your appetite, according to a 2017 study. It can keep you full for a shorter period of time after a meal. It also has the ability to stimulate your brain’s food reward center.
#2 Kidney Damage
Beer puts stress on your kidneys in several ways. For one thing, they have to flush the alcohol that you ingest from your blood. So if you drink beer every day, your kidneys are particularly challenged. In addition, there is the risk of increased high blood pressure due to regular alcohol consumption. According to the National Kidney Foundation, this in turn can trigger kidney diseases.
Second, beer is diuretic, which puts a different strain on your kidneys. It also has a dehydrating effect and flushes important electrolytes from your body. The result can be muscle cramps, tiredness and a feeling of weakness.
#3 Possible influences on brain health
Research is still mixed on the actual impact of beer and alcohol on your brain. There are studies that show that drinking hard alcohol is more likely to lead to cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s than drinking beer or wine.
On the other hand, according to research from 2019, beer high in hops could help reduce inflammation in the central nervous system (neuroinflammation). A 2017 study, on the other hand, came to different conclusions. At least no protective effect on the perception of drinking less than regular drinking could be determined.
Sources: thebmj, Current Alzheimer Research, National Kidney Foundation, Appetite